RWBY: Remnant Crisis
by BlazefireDrago
Summary: With the Shadow Crisis fully dealt with, Ruby and her Team, along with her brother Chris Hunter and Bio-weapon Dark-Greymon, have been teleported back to Remnant. All seems peaceful, until reports of strange Grimm activity escalates, prompting them to find out who is causing them. Sequel to Change of Existence. Rated M for violence, course language, and SC.
1. 1: Back at Last

**A/N: The sequel is here. Change of Existence was planned out to be the first of the Two Worlds arc, taking place on a highly advanced Earth. Remnant Crisis, which is what you're reading soon, is set in Remnant, with one or two scenes on Earth. I do have future plans on expanding on this universe of fanfics, but for now, I only need to focus on the current arc.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out. Enjoy the first chapter.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Headmaster's Office, Beacon Academy**

**2:01 P.M**

**December 3****rd**

Professor Ozpin has always regarded himself as a knowledgeable individual, but there are things that escape his thirst. Over a month ago, he has learned from both Weiss and Blake that both Ruby and Yang have disappeared after being hit by a lightning bolt. Keeping a long promise to Taiyang, Ozpin slipped a video camera into Ruby's hair, knowing that he will find her to an unknown location. What he saw after hearing their explanation confirmed a hidden truth: there was an entirely different world inhabited by humanity, and advanced their society without the usage of Dust.

Fast forward to now, Ozpin was able to gather the notes he took when looking over the video feed. From what he learned, humanity was able to achieve peace with the Faunus, who they call Beastkin on this other world, and stabilised society with peace treaties with other sentient beings. He also learned that despite the prosperity, even the other world is subject to war. Using what he learned from the video, he directed Oobleck and team JNPR to the Emerald Forest where Ruby, her team, and three others would reappear.

"Glynda, have you informed Qrow and Taiyang?" Ozpin spoke into his scroll. "I hope they got the message to come to Beacon as soon as possible."

"_I did, Headmaster Ozpin. I have to ask, why do you want me to inform them again?_"

"Let's just say," he paused to take a sip of his coffee. "That an old friend has come back. Tell Taiyang that his daughters have returned home as well."

"_I will Ozpin. I should let you know that a large cluster of unusual storm clouds are hovering over the Emerald Forest._"

"Thanks for the heads-up, Glynda. You may return to your duties."

Ending the call, Ozpin placed his gaze outside the window of his office. In the distance, he saw what Glynda was referring about, taking note of the ominous clouds over the forest. He learned from the video that it's called a teleportation storm, and it is powered by the energy source they call Mana. Seeing a large lightning bolt strike the ground, he took another sip out of his coffee.

"Welcome back, Ruby Rose. We have gracefully waited for you and your team's return. And I would also like to say the same for you, Summer Rose."

Ozpin saw what was about to come next, already knowing what will happen after the fight between Ruby's brother and his shadow. Using his knowledge, he made assurances by sending Oobleck and team JNPR over to the Emerald Forest. He also informed both Qrow Rose and Taiyang Xiao Long about the whole situation, from how Ruby was sent to Earth to when she's coming back. Looking out to the horizon, he took one last sip of his coffee before making one last comment.

"Well, I guess things are about to get even more interesting. Let's see how those two will take Remnant's scene."

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Emerald Forest, near Beacon Academy**

**2:14 P.M.**

**December 3****rd**

Ugh, I think I'm going to get sick of travelling between worlds. And to think, this is the second time that has happened to me, seeing lightning strikes directing everyone to one spot until it hit all of us. Well, at least I was able to make connections with the UNSC Scientists, asking them to look into the teleportation storm. If they find something useful, they'll be able to keep the connection at a high level, allowing me to visit my friends on Earth.

I took a look around my surroundings and saw that I'm back in the Emerald Forest. However, the only things that stood out for me was the amount of equipment set up, along with what appears to be a camp. I had to guess that someone has been waiting for us, so Professor Ozpin must have sent them here. I looked around again and saw that not only my team came back, but my brother, Dark-Greymon and mom were with us. Getting the sleep out of my eyes, I slowly got up to and woke everyone else.

"Hey guys, wake up. I think we're back home on Remnant," I explained to the others. "It seems that someone has been waiting for us."

At this point, I caught a faint sound of footsteps coming from the east. Worried about what's about to happen, I readied Crescent Blaze towards the direction of the sound, only to see a few familiar faces.

"Ruby, is that really you?" one of the figures, who I recognized as Jaune, spoke up. "Oh my Dust, it really is you. I can't believe that your back."

Before I got the chance to respond, Jaune and his whole team tackled me down to the ground, engulfing me in a group hug. Luckily, I saw Chris getting up along with Dark-Greymon to see the commotion. Following their lead the rest of my team, along with mom, slowly got up and took in their surroundings before turning their gazes to me.

"Guys, I'm fine, Ok? Can you please get off me so I can explain where I was?" I asked everyone in team JNPR, to which they got out of the group hug. "Jeez, no matter what I go through, your group hugs are the most devastating for me."

"What is all that commotion outside?" We all turned around to see Doctor Oobleck, who just recently got here. "Ahh, I see that team RWBY has finally returned to us. Well done Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna, your endeavors in the other world have forged you into powerful warriors." He then turned his gaze towards my brother, who immediately got his attention. "And you must be the Sky Marshal I spoke to before. Apologies for allowing team RWBY to stay at your world, but I had to make sure they stay together."

"And you must be Doctor Oobleck, right?" Chris asked the speedy professor, who nodded in response. "It is an honor to finally meet you doc, but we have little time to discuss. I have heard that Remnant isn't as advanced in society as Earth, correct?"

"Correct Mr. Sky Marshal. Due to the increase in strange Grimm activity, all the professional Huntsmen and Huntresses have been occupied. Luckily, Ozpin contacted two veterans to meet us back at Beacon Academy. Speaking of strange Grimm, why do you have two near you?"

"You mean the Fenrir and Dark-Greymon?" my brother asked, pointing his thumb towards the two in question. "I assure you that they are not Grimm. The Fenrir is a type of monster native on Earth, while Dark-Greymon is a Bio-weapon who works with us."

"Ooh, ooh, I have a question Mr. Space Man," we all turned to see Nora, who had her hand up high. "May I break its legs?"

Classic Nora: whenever you show her something entirely new, or if she gets annoyed to a certain level, she'll get the urge to break legs left and right. I just tilted my head sideways while Dark-Greymon and my brother gave a confused look. It only took my mother to finally break the silence.

"It has been a while, Bart. I guess to you, it has been ten years."

"Summer Rose, is that really you?" Dr. Oobleck asked out of shock, taking in the image of my mom as a young woman. "I thought for sure that you were dead years ago. How is it that you're still alive?"

"It will take a while to explain Bart, but now is not the time," mom replied back, getting a feeling that we're not alone in the forest. "If you can, I would suggest getting back to Beacon. I'm afraid that we have company."

"What sort of company are you talking about, Summer?" Dark-Greymon spoke up, preparing his claws and shocking JNPR altogether.

"I'm not sure about what they are," mom replied while strapping on her own gauntlets. "All I can say is that their numbers equal a typical wolf pack. I'm also seeing a strange neon blue glow here as well."

Taking mom's warning, we all got our weapons ready, hoping it's just a stray Beowolf. She mentioned something about a neon blue glow, but I doubt that Beowolves or any Grimm have any neon blue eyes. As the growing suspicion grew, a pack consisting of 10 red and white wolf-like monsters, with a neon blue glow separating the other colors appeared out of the bushes.

"Oh man, it's those strange Grimm again," Jaune whined out, trying to calm his shaking body. "Why is it that these things are different from the normal Grimm?"

"You call these things 'strange Grimm?'" Chris shouted back at the JNPR leader. "Kid, these things are fucking Bio-weapons. How do you confuse a Grimm with a Bio-weapon, when clearly you can see the differences between the two?"

Before Jaune could get a chance to reply, one of the monsters leapt from its position and lunged towards us. Chris took this as an initiative to fight back, dodging the beast and slicing it through the center. The others soon follow suit, engaging the machines that waited for us while Oobleck just stands there with his thermos.

"Hey Hunter, how do you think those Bio-weapons got here?" Dark Greymon asked as he stabbed one of the monsters in the face. "You don't think Shadow Hunter did this as well, huh?"

"I doubt that guy had the resources to move these Pantherons from Earth to here," my brother answered, plunging his katana in another beast's stomach. "Whatever the case, I have a feeling this is the work of someone else."

"It doesn't matter who made these wolfie things. As long as I get to break their legs, I'm happy." I heard Nora yell out, seeing her smash these 'Pantherons' that got in her way. "Hey, are these things from that place you were at, or were they developed by Atlas?"

I can only ignore her question, as the machines' numbers began to increase. I heard that these Bio-weapons were under development by a group called PSICOM, only to be used as part of security. Whoever brought them over to Remnant must have some sort of connection here. I would delve deeper into this, but my focus was placed on the increasing number of Bio-weapons arriving.

"Damn it, how are we going to get out of this whole ordeal?" I asked out of frustration. "We can't go on forever with these things."

"Well I do have a crazy idea," Dark-Greymon blurted out. "However, it will take me a while to cast it. I hope you guys don't mind covering my ass while I do this."

"Are you about to use that particular arte?" Chris asked out of fear, knowing what the Bio-weapon is about to do. "If you cast it, you should know that we are booking out of the area."

"Oh trust me Hunter, it will work." Dark-Greymon began to cast some sort of spell, as a glyph appears underneath him while magic circles began to surround him. "Everyone, when I give the signal, I want you all to take cover. This spell will cause a whole lot of damage, so I'm warning you ahead of time."

Before we could get a chance to speak up, a large glyph took form up in the sky. I believe he is about to cast a powerful spell only high ranking UNSC officials can pull off. If Dark-Greymon pulls this off, then not only will the Pantherons be destroyed, but some of the forest will be scorched. When the giant glyph finished taking its form, he gave the signal for us to take cover, before saying the incantation.

"O countless particles that wander the very heavens, rain down and glorify the land… METEOR STORM!"

As the name of the arte was spoken, the glyph began to shoot out a massive amount of mana in the form of a meteor shower. We were able to get out of there safely, and saw the shower impacting with the nearby monsters. Those that were left standing were left with no choice but to retreat, leaving their destroyed brethren behind. We slowly got out over to the clearing to assess the damage, only to see the deactivated and/or destroyed Pantherons on the ground.

"Well, that was strangely effective," I heard Jaune state out, walking over to me. "What did that thing do, and how did it not have any trouble? And was that power he used some sort of Semblance?"

"Actually Jaune, what you just saw is one of the many spells people on Earth can pull off," I answered my fellow, curious leader of JNPR. "Unlike us, the people of Earth don't have a semblance, but they make up for it with artes. Dark-Greymon just happened to pull off a dangerous one, even though he could have used something else."

"NO SEMBLANCE? Then how were they able to maintain their society, even though there are monsters living on the same planet?"

I just ignored Jaune at that point. I know he has a whole bunch of questions that needs answers, but telling them here wouldn't be the best option. I went over to where Chris was, who happens to be talking to Dr. Oobleck. If he's going to be here on Remnant, he's going to make some arrangements with Professor Ozpin.

"So you're telling me you have no clue where those things came from, but you know what they are?" Oobleck asked my brother, who was telling him about the Pantherons. "If that's the case, then I suppose you will need to speak with Ozpin about your situation. Hopefully, he can pull some strings to get both you and your companions a room."

"That would be appreciated, doc." Chris told the coffee obsessed professor, only to tilt his head towards me. "Hey sis, you mind leading the way over to Beacon. I think it's about time I meet with Ozpin."

"Sure, no problem. It will be a while to get there," I said back to him, placing my gaze towards my friends. "Hey everyone, we are going back to Beacon. I hope you have everything we need, so let's get walking. Jaune, can you have your team help with our luggage? We have a lot of stuff from Earth."

We all gathered our things, making our way outside of the forest. What I don't get is why we ended up having machines as a welcome back present instead of the Beowolves in the area. More so, I'm worried about who brought them over to Remnant, and what would they gain from the bio-weapons going crazy. If this individual is connected to Shadow Hunter in any way, then I guess Chris will have to stay here for the time being.

* * *

**A/N: The first chapter of Remnant Crisis has been placed, and it seems everyone is caught up in another sticky situation. Normally, Ruby would have seen the Grimm coming towards them, but instead was introduced to some of the bio-weapons created on Earth. What is she going to do now that they are on the loose? And who is responsible for releasing them out into the wilds?**

**Now to explain: since I have planned to make this a series, I have decided to have it continue onto the Remnant side of the chaos. I also wanted to establish the Earth side of the Characters, mainly Hunter and Dark-Greymon, showing off their way of fighting, giving me the excuse of adding the arte Meteor Storm from the Tales series fame. I will also add in the militarized monsters from Final Fantasy XIII, giving the feeling of the bio-weapons running loose instead of the Grimm.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, dropping off a stinger featuring both Taiyang and Qrow.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Skies about Vale, Remnant**

**3:14 P.M.**

**December 3****rd**

It has only been a day since Ozpin called them, and now both men, Taiyang Xiao Long and Qrow Rose, are on their way to Beacon Academy. The last time they heard from the headmaster was at the end of October, when they were informed that both Ruby and Yang disappeared without a trace. Now learning that the girl may be back on Remnant, the men were adamant in their decision to go to the Huntsman academy.

Taiyang was the most worried of the two, for he almost had a heart attack when he heard the news. Qrow on the other hand, had a hunch that Ruby would return soon, and by going to the school, his hunch would be on the mark. They also heard that an old friend has come back with them, along with two new arrivals. Growing desperate, Taiyang would get to the bottom of Ozpin's information.

"Hey Qrow, are we there yet," Taiyang asked the scythe wielder, growing bored of the flight. "It's just that I can't stand this silence for much longer."

"Relax Tai, I'm sure Ozpin has his reasons for calling us over to his school," Qrow assured the bored father. "I'm more interested in finding out what that guy means about 'an old friend.' If its news on Raven, I'm sure you would jump to get that info."

"I doubt it's about Raven. Not even the Atlas network has any information on her." Taiyang was interrupted when he saw a strange signal on his scroll, with the ID being Summer Rose. "Is it just me, or is your scroll acting up too?"

"Why'd you ask that? Are you being sarcastic?"

"No, it's just that I'm getting a signal from Summer's scroll." The father showed Qrow the image. "We both know for sure that Summer was presumed dead. Whoever has her scroll must be messing with me."

Their conversation was interrupted when Qrow caught a glimpse of Beacon in the horizon. He began to remember the times he was with his team, from the food fights to the missions they went through. Those memories were interrupted as well when he saw a giant flying Deathstalker, only it was outfitted with saw blades and had an azure blue color on its body.

"Tai, did you see that thing?" he asked Taiyang. "I thought for sure that Deathstalkers don't fly in the horizon. What's even stranger is that the thing didn't look like a standard Grimm, judging from the way it looked."

"Now who's being sarcastic," Taiyang taunted until he saw it too, along with what appears to be a name on the flying monster. "Ok, I don't need an answer for that. Why is that thing named an 'Anavatapta Warmech?'"

Both were confused over the sight of the monster, only to get a notification to get ready for Beacon. Pushing the thoughts aside, the men got their things ready and headed for the exit. Knowing Ozpin, Taiyang and Qrow will have a lot to talk about with the headmaster.


	2. 2: Beacon Academy

**A/N: A new chapter means this story is coming along. As far as my knowledge is concerned, in both seasons of RWBY, the second episode happens to have the word Beacon in it, and since this story takes place on Remnant, I decided to follow that pattern. This will show the cast getting to take in the sights of the Huntsmen academy first hand, hearing about how great it was from Ruby in Change of Existence. Also, the time will be shown in standard A.M. /P.M. intervals, while Earth will be standard military time.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**In Front of Beacon Academy**

**3:01 P.M.**

**December 3****rd**

After an exhausting trek from Earth to Remnant and walking out of the forest, I have to say that we arrived at Beacon Academy. Ruby told me all about how this place trains kids to become Huntsmen and Huntresses, and for once, I believe her. She never did tell me that the place looked like one of the defunct Disney castles. Regardless, it looked neat on the outside, but I have to wonder about the choice in decoration.

We have all walked out of that forest and stumbled upon the central grounds of the academy. All around me, I could see people training with what appears to be hybrid weapons: weapons that looks like one, but has two functions to it. In fact, I believe Crescent Rose is one of those, taking the concept of a scythe and added a sniper system to it. The kids themselves also happen to be either human or beastkin, or what they call faunus here on Remnant. As we continued to walk, a middle aged woman happened to be standing in front of us, looking as if she was expecting us.

"Welcome back, team JNPR," the woman said to the kids we met. "I'm glad to see that you performed your task splendidly. And I'm also glad to see you again team RWBY. I hope you didn't take your time away to laze around, right?"

"Thank you for the kind words, Professor Goodwitch," the blonde guy, Jaune, replied back. "We were able to retrieve team RWBY and returned to Beacon unharmed. We did encounter the strange Grimm again today, but Ruby and those guys handled them no problem."

"Why must you insist on calling the Pantherons strange Grimm" I talked back towards the guy. "I told you that they were in fact bio-weapons, didn't I? Bio-weapons like those were programmed to hunt down threats they deemed dangerous."

The woman, Goodwitch, walked over towards me with a serious expression on her face. I had to wonder what it would take to calm her down, only to come up empty. She may look intimidating, but I have dealt with a whole lot worse of intimidation. She stopped right in front of me, examining my appearance as if I was some sort of alien psycho. We stared each other down for seconds until she decided to take a deep breath and spoke up.

"So, I take it that you were the one to look after Ruby and her team, right? I apologize on their behalf for any damages they could have caused. As for introductions, my name is Glynda Goodwitch, veteran Huntress and combat instructor of Beacon."

"The pleasure is mine Goodwitch," I said in a gentlemanly manner. "I am Chris Hunter, Sky Marshal of the UNSC, a military unit on the planet Earth. And don't worry about what Ruby and her friends did. Besides, isn't it a brother's job to look after their siblings?"

Out of nowhere, everyone, save for myself, mom, Dark-Greymon and Ruby's team, fell down to the ground in a comedic matter. I reminded myself that everyone else thought that Ruby only have a sister, so blurting it out in the open wasn't the smartest idea. I instantly cursed myself as mom walked over to the recovering professor.

"I'm sorry about what my son said, but it is true," she said to Goodwitch. "It has been a while since I last saw you Glynda, though I still see you're stuck up as ever."

"Summer?" Is this going to be a recurring thing? Cause she just said the same thing Oobleck stated back at the forest. "How is it that you're still alive? And why do you still look young? I thought you would be in your late 30's to early 40's."

"Long story, Glynda. It's a long story."

Before she could get the chance to speak up, her scroll began to vibrate in her pocket. I had to guess that everyone has to have one here, but I'll just stick with my cell phone. Looking over her screen, I saw that it was a message from Ozpin, the head honcho of Beacon. Closing it, Goodwitch made her announcement.

"Ruby, I would like your team to retire to your dorm with JNPR. There is a lot of homework that you missed out over the course of a month, so Jaune's team will help you with it. As for you three," she paused to look at the rest of us. "I would like you to follow me. It seems that you have peaked the interest of our headmaster. I pray that you will keep your manners."

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**RWBY Dorm, Beacon Academy**

**3:35 P.M.**

**December 3****rd**

"Finally, home sweet home. I forgot how long it's been since we last slept in here. Ruby, can you help me get the souvenirs out?"

We got all of our stuff out of our bags when we got back, and I have to say, I'm more used to the penthouse back on Earth. Sure we only stayed there for more than a month, but it felt like a year for me. Still, we were about to move our things to our sides of the dorm, including the clothes and Spartan armor we got from there. Of course, there was Weiss with her souvenirs.

"I have to ask, what kind of souvenirs did you get, partner?" I asked when I got to the heiress. "Don't tell me you bought a whole crap ton of jewelry. Isn't that why Pierce was with you when you went to do shopping that day?"

"I'll have you know that I didn't buy a 'crap ton.' I just bought the things I thought everyone else would enjoy. Speaking of which, NORA," Weiss shouted out, grabbing the orange haired girl's attention. "I GOT YOU A BIG SLOTH PLUSHIE."

Why did Weiss get a sloth plushie for Nora? In fact, has Nora ever seen a sloth before? All these questions began to swirl in my head as Weiss pulled it out of one of her bags.

"SLOTH PLUSHIE. OH THANK YOU SO MUCH WEISS. WHERE DID YOU GET ONE OF THESE?" Nora asked out of curiosity.

"I got it in the other world called Earth. I figured since I was coming back here, I thought I would get everyone something." Weiss proceeded to grab things out of her bag. "Jaune, I know how much you love comics, so I got you a complete bundle."

Everyone in team JNPR walked over to see what my partner got them, and they were satisfied with the gifts they received. From Pyrrha's new gold headpiece to Ren's new medallion, Weiss acted like she was Santa arriving for a very early Christmas. I already knew she sent Blake and Yang over to deliver the Fenrir to Professor Port, along with the things she got for Professors Goodwitch and Ozpin.

"So Weiss, what was it like, facing those things called Shadows?" Nora asked us while Weiss was cleaning up. "I heard that they were a psychotic version of you guys. Did you get to break their legs?"

"Nora, how did you know about the Shadows?" I asked back, wondering how she found out. "I mean, the only people who knew about them were myself, my team, and my brother. Are you saying you have been spying on us?"

"Well, only Ozpin has. He did set up a candid camera in your hair so that he knows where you are. Honestly, I was surprised to see you on a whole other world where there's no Dust. So how did the people survive on that place?"

"It's because humans over there have a connection to beings called Spirits. Spirits allows people to cast abilities called artes, and they could be from a physical attack to a magic spell." I took a deep breath while explaining to Nora about Earth. "Even before they discovered the Spirits, humanity was able to maintain their society through peace treaties with other beings, hence why everything looks so futuristic."

Nora was intrigued with the information I have given her. However, if Ozpin did place a candid camera in my hair, then how come I never noticed it? I just hope my brother is having no problems with the professor, or he won't hear the end of it.

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**En-route to Headmaster's Office, Beacon Academy**

**3:47 P.M.**

**December 3****rd**

So I get to meet the guy who runs this place. I have to say that I'm somewhat looking forward to meeting Ozpin, but he better not waste my time. I did wonder why he would be interested in meeting me, but I guess we did overdue it with Dark-Greymon's Meteor Storm. I mean, anyone would be upset if one of Maxwell's greatest achievements would damage the area. What I'm more worried about is how he'll take in mom's appearance.

Ever since we were separated from Ruby and her group, Glynda has been leading us straight to the top of the building. Headmasters have the highest position in the school, so it would stand to reason that it would be at the top floor. It's common knowledge that a person with a higher position would have his or her office at the top. Hell, my office in the UNSC is at the top floor of the base, but I never use it at all.

"I'll have you know that Ozpin has waited patiently for you, so you better show some manners," Glynda told us when the elevator stopped. "I wouldn't dare trying anything funny while you speak with him. Besides, he also has two more guests in his office, so make a good first impression."

"You never told us that he had more guests, Glynda," mom spoke up, surprised to hear the news. "Who are the guests Ozpin's speaking with?"

"Taiyang Xiao Long and Qrow Rose. They arrived minutes ago."

This surprised the veteran fighter quite a bit. I have to guess that Taiyang and Qrow must mean something to her, causing her to step back a bit. It only stands to reason that they looked after her when she first came to Remnant. Sensing the tension, I walked over to her and laid my hand on her shoulder, calming her in the process.

"Thanks Chris. I guess I have to face this head on." Mom tilted her head to face me. "Do you think Tai will freak out when he sees you?"

"Probably," I answered while raising my hands. "He'll be asking you 'hey, how the hell did you turn Ruby into a guy?' or something like that. I wouldn't be surprised if he decides to take me on in a fight."

Interrupting our conversation was the sound of the elevator doors opening, revealing what appeared to be an office with a steampunk style to it. Inside the office, there was a man sporting silver hair, along with a blonde male and a crimson haired man. I had to guess that Ozpin is sitting at the desk, while the others are Taiyang and Qrow respectively. The headmaster adjusted his head to greet us.

"Welcome to Remnant, travellers from another world. My name is Ozpin, and I am the headmaster of this fine academy. And the two men beside me are Taiyang Xiao Long and Qrow Rose, both professors of Signal Academy." He tilts his sideways to glare at mom. "And it is a pleasure to see you again Summer Rose. I would like to say that you still look beautifully young ever since the first day we met."

"SUMMER?" Both of the guys stared towards mom to see if Ozpin is lying, only to whisper towards each other.

"As for you two," Ozpin return his gaze towards me and Dark-Greymon before continuing. "I would have to guess that you are both talented fighters. I called you all three to offer a deal, but before I do, I would like to catch your names."

Both myself and the Bio-weapon complied with the headmaster's wish and began our introductions. Both guests took a good look at me, thinking I could have been Ruby who turned into a guy, only for mom to gaze towards them. We then told them about where we came from: from Earth's history to its advancement in both technology and Spirit Symbiosis. Ozpin believed us without a doubt, taking in the information as if it was candy. We then told them about how we met Ruby and her team, along with the time we took down the Shadows. Finally, we revealed the truth that I was Ruby's brother, and that mom was originally born on Earth. Only Taiyang had the nerve to interrupt us.

"So you're telling us that out of the whole month she's been away from school, Ruby has been hanging out with a street gang and a military faction? And that on the day you got a call from our side, you made the decision to place my daughter into something called the Spartan Program?"

"Those are the exact words, T. I doubt I missed something, considering that I have been hanging out with her during her stay. Don't worry; she's back here now, so you don't have to-"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY ANOTHER WORD TO ME, YOU BASTARD," he interrupted me again, walking over and grabbed me by my collar. "I don't care that you are her brother, but nobody forces her into that without my knowing. You are going to take her out of the Spartan Program, or else you will be leaving with a broken arm."

Before he could continue his threat, I took the liberty of grabbing his arm and smashed with my left arm. Taiyang quickly let go of my collar after the pain came over him, causing him to wonder if I broke it. I brushed my sweater a bit when Qrow walked over.

"I'm sorry for my brother's actions today," He apologized on T's behalf, to which I accepted. "It's just that he thinks of Ruby as his own flesh and blood. By the way, seeing as how she is you sister, that automatically puts you in our family. I look forward to seeing you in Patch."

"Don't worry about that, Qrow. As much as I would like to stay, I have to find a way back to Earth." I passed Taiyang as he was still crying out in pain, walling towards the headmaster. "I guess you already know who we were, considering the fact that you waited patiently for us. You must have more information on Earth than you let on."

"So what if I do?" Ozpin quickly asked me. "I'm well aware that, due to the circumstances, you are now on our world. If you would like to stay, then you will have to abide by the rules here."

"Then what is this deal you're proposing, Ozpin?" We turned our heads to hear Dark-Greymon, who finally decided to speak up. "I'm pretty sure that's why you called us up here, or am I wrong?"

"Straight to the point. I like that in a man's personality." The head honcho took a sip of coffee. "Very well then. Dark-Greymon and Summer, I would like to hire you as professors of the academy. I'm sure that your knowledge will prove useful to us, in case those 'bio-weapons' appear again. As for you Chris Hunter, I would like to have you as a student here. You will have to go through initiation, but this time, you will pick a relic. The relic in turn will place you in one of our first year teams. You have been acquainted with Teams RWBY and JNPR, but there are others."

We all thought about the outcome of Ozpin's deal. It is true that we have a different way of fighting thanks to the usage of artes, as well as the information on monsters on Earth. Thinking further, we decided to go along with his offer, knowing no other alternative.

"Ozpin, you got yourself a deal."

* * *

**A/N: Seeing as how the cast came back to Beacon, I thought I would have a little fun and have both Hunter and Dark-Greymon join in the academy community. We have never seen Qrow and Taiyang in the actual series, so when they make an appearance on RWBY, I'll edit the chapters to accurately portray them. As far as teaching positions are concerned, I will have Dark-Greymon as the monster studies professor, and Summer as the next combat instructor. For Hunter, I have seen fan fics that depict either one or more teams having an additional member, so I thought I could try as well. If it doesn't work out, then I'll make him the lone wolf, simple as that.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

…

…

…

**STINGER ALERT, STINGER ALERT.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Warehouse District, Vale**

**4:25 P.M.**

**December 3****rd****, 4021**

It was no secret that the White Fang had a base in the warehouses. After the ordeal with one of the teams from Beacon, many of the Faunus began to question their allegiance to the criminal Roman Torchwick. It all changed days ago when three unknown figures arrived and offered their forces to their cause. Because of them, many of the White Fang now have access to monstrous machines. Overlooking them is a young woman, a heterochromiac named Neopolitan, who may have a secret that no one knows about.

"Hey Neo, our friends just gave us a call," a man with a bowler hat appeared behind with the news. "It seems their contact on the other world has failed, and Red and her team are back with additions."

Hearing the news shocked Neo for a minute. She never told Roman about her past, despite being raised by the criminal mastermind. Despite that, she took a deep breath and walked towards him.

"What does that have to do with me? You should know that I'm a busy girl."

"Because I have some plans for you," Roman told her. "It is about time we took the stage, and Cinder decided on two targets for you."

He placed two pictures into her hands, motioning her to look at them. Neo took a quick glance over the two photos, making out two figures out of the low quality screens. Roman continued while she looks over them.

"Our friends have made out the identities of those two, and I have to say that you'll enjoy killing them. Take a small contingent of White Fang and intercept them on one of their missions. As for the names, I was told that they are known as Dark-Greymon and Chris Hunter. I expect you to kill them when you first see them on their mission."

After giving away the details, Roman left Neo in the room by herself. She began to tear up as hearing the name 'Chris Hunter' brought forth memories of the past. Only she was aware that she was born on Earth, with her true name as Neo Hazard. Her memories consisted of her being raised with a young boy at a Federation Outpost, only to disappear from Earth at four years old. It took her years to get used to Remnant, living under Roman's rules ever since he found her.

"I can't believe it. It has been thirteen years since I last saw him. Now I can see my old friend, but I'm ordered to kill him?" She looked back towards the doors, with an angered expression plastered on her face. "I'll play your game Roman, but if I see Hunter, you can bet your fucking ass that I'll defect to their side."

While she was by herself, Roman walked towards a trench coat-wearing figure, making out the barcode on his forehead. Ever since the girls disappeared for a month, three figures appeared before him and his cohorts, introducing themselves as Desperado. Lighting a cigar, Roman informed the figure about what he told her.

"She's been given the job, Mr. Sundowner. I assure you that Neo is one of the best assassins we have, so she'll make short work of those two."

"I highly doubt that, Roman Torchwick," Sundowner spoke towards the criminal. "I understand that she was able to beat the brawler during the Train incident, but she doesn't know the capabilities Hunter has. While she takes her White Fang, I will be dispatching additional Cyborgs in case they fuck up. You know we can't afford failure Roman, unless you want to be fed to the Behemoths in the cages."

Roman took the threat to heart, knowing the punishment Cinder has in mind for him. As Sundowner left him in peace, he took another puff of his cigar, making his way towards his boss. Walking, he tilted his head a bit and let out one sentence.

"Don't screw this up Neo, or I'll be forced to put you in the ground."


	3. 3: Taking in the sights

**A/N: *crying intensely* Ruby, can you do the honors?**

**(R): Sure, no problem Drago. Before I leave you to read the chapter, I would like to do some explaining on the author's behalf. Last chapter's stinger was the right moment for him to introduce the antagonists from the show, along with a different Neo in place. Like he said about mom in Change of Existence, it felt like we know nothing about the ice cream themed girl. So in his mind, he thought about having her set as a childhood friend to Chris Hunter, and the name 'Neo Hazard' came into mind. As for Sundowner and Desperado's appearance, you may want to watch some MGR:R gameplay footage or played the game yourselves. **

**With that in mind, I'm Ruby Rose, signing out for BlazefireDrago. *goes over to the author* Don't worry Drago, I'm sure you'll get more followers in time.**

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Halls of Beacon Academy**

**5:07 P.M.**

**December 3****rd**

Accepting Ozpin's deal was sort of a hard decision for me. Sure, I wanted to get back to Earth and assess the damage Shadow Hunter caused, but then I thought about how Ruby would take it. She hasn't lived on the planet for more than a year, and she instantly grew attached to the place, making friends with both the Saints and some of the UNSC as well. Still, in spite of what I wanted, I decided to stay for her sake. I will have to search her head for that damn camera though, fearing that some of the UNSC's developmental secrets would get out into the open, and into some military faction here.

Ozpin told me that I would have to go through initiation in two days' time, allowing me to scope out and get acquainted with the academy. I hated the fact that I have to go through school again, knowing that I had an advanced education as a 6 year old, along with going through both elementary and high school all the way. Still, Beacon did serve as a combat school, training kids to learn how to fight with their weapons. Did I mention that I was being monitored by both Taiyang and Qrow while mom and Dark-Greymon stayed with Ozzy?

"So, Chris Hunter, I wanted to know," I paused to look at the curious Qrow. "What kind of fighting style do you use, and who taught you how to fight? And if possible, can I take a look at your weapon?"

I had a feeling one of them would ask, so I took a deep breath. I had thought about how I'm going to explain my fighting styles, from using three different types of weapons to how they can change form. Sure, their weapons have a second feature, but they don't know about the Spirits. Knowing that it was inevitable, I turned around and spoke up.

"Well, I guess you could say that I'm well versed with many forms of combat. However, I'm more used to using katanas, a greave and gauntlet combo, and a naginata. And before you ask, I don't know what the hell a Semblance is. As for showing it, you're going to have to wait until my initiation to see. Oh, and I was self-taught, training my body to handle any kind of weapon."

Both began to stare at me in disbelief, wondering what I meant by it. As far as they know, humanity always had an ability called a semblance, and it could range from super speed to crating optical illusions. What they don't know is that humans on Earth don't have that kind of privilege. Regardless, they shook the thoughts aside and showed me around Beacon.

For a prestigious combat school, Beacon had the perks of a standard Japanese high school. Not only are students required to wear uniforms (which I hate), but they also have the facilities to serve your every need. What I liked most was the cafeteria, which pretty much looked like a massive mess hall in a rich asshole's place. Our final stop was the dorms, where I was told I'll be staying with Ruby's team. I turned my head in disgust, already knowing the outcome of that scenario.

"And we're here, you sick bastard," Taiyang spoke up, breaking the tour. "I know you sound like a nice guy, but if you touch Ruby, look at her in a strange way, or even speak to her, I will personally send you straight into hell."

"Honestly T, I think you're taking this whole 'protective father' thing a bit too much." I replied back, pushing his face out of mine. "First of all, why would I try anything on my sister? I talk to her every day since we met, and to be honest, she would come up to me if she had a problem. Second of all, you are supposed to be acting like a father, and so far you have been acting like shit towards your stepson. And I doubt hell reserved a spot for me, seeing as how I sent my fucked-up shadow there."

"You may want to forgive Tai for his outburst," Qrow interrupted our argument, grabbing hold of Taiyang's arm in the process. "He always gets overprotective when it comes to his daughters. I assure you that he means no harm. Oh, and welcome to Remnant, Chris." He began to walk away with his brother in-law in tow. "Come on Taiyang, we both have work to do back at Signal. You don't want to miss out on passing report cards, do you?"

I just flat out ignored their conversation at this point, knowing that even those two were busy. Looking over the door, I quickly took a deep breath and knocked on it, eventually getting someone's attention.

"Who is it?" I heard Ruby yelling out on the other side. "If you are the cookie king, then I bow to your presence."

"Ruby, it's your brother. I came to let you know that I'm staying in your dorm room for a while." I swore I heard the sound of feet scurrying after that comment, meaning that they weren't ready yet. "Um, I can always come back at a later time, so I guess I'll see you in a few?"

To my surprise, the door rapidly opened in front of me, smashing my face in the process. Luckily, I prevented myself from falling down, catching a glimpse of Ruby peeking her head out the doorway. Feeling sorry, she rushed over towards me, looking over my face for any damages.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry I did that to you. Are you ok? Did it hurt?" She asked without taking a breath. "Nothing seems to be broken. You have to be careful with the door, Chris. I remember giving Jaune a concussion with the door months ago."

"Don't worry about that for now, Ruby," I said as she backed up a bit. "Did Ozzy tell you about my living arrangements?"

"Yeah, he did. Weird. Oh well, we were pretty much installing your bed in our room when you knocked on the door. We were also telling Jaune about our time on Earth, and surprisingly, they knew about Shadow Rose. Remind me to look over my hair for that camera, will you?"

I nodded in agreement with her, knowing how Ozpin learned about Earth's society without our knowing. I walked into the dorm to see a terrifying sight: two bunk beds that were poorly constructed on both sides and a spare bed beside the left one. I have to assume the bed hanging on the ropes belonged to my sister, so the spare would be mine then. I also saw that JNPR was there as well, along with the souvenirs that Weiss bought them. I may have to ask her how much she spent on that trip with Pierce.

"By the way, Chris," I paused to listen to Ruby. "What do you think mom and Dark-Greymon are up to?"

* * *

**Dark-Greymon POV**

**Headmaster's Office, Beacon Academy**

**5:41 P.M.**

**December 3****rd**

"So here are the open positions I would like to offer you. We are currently in need of a professor who has knowledge on monsters, as well as an additional combat instructor. Seeing as how you make those qualifications, I want to hear your thought."

Ozpin had the right idea of sending Hunter over to his sister's dorm, allowing us to talk about our positions in the academy. The thought of me being a professor never crossed my mind, even during my time in the Covenant. Still, I am interested in doing something else other than being a bartender. Though, I doubt Makoto would like it if her boss never showed up for more than a month. I only wondered what Summer would choose for a position. Feeling the need to continue, I gave the man my input.

"Ozpin, you just gained yourself a monster professor. During my time in the UNSC, I have seen plenty of monsters on the battlefield. In case someone encounters them, I would be providing Intel on them. I will also include bio-weapons as well, seeing as how they can range from mechanical to mutational."

"I see, so that will be your decision," Ozpin nodded in agreement. "What will you do if a student mistakes you for a Grimm?"

"The logical question: Have you ever heard of a Grimm that speaks, let alone capable of casting artes?"

The Headmaster thought about the questions I thought up, and decided to place me in as a professor. I guess that means I will have to go by Professor Greymon, not that I don't mind. He then tilted his head back to hear what Summer wants, only to hear it on the spot.

"Place me in as a combat instructor, Ozzy. As far as I know, everyone will need the techniques I'm about to pass on. If the bio-weapons are capable of casting artes, which I have seen happen before, then they will need the skills to survive it."

"Very well Summer," Ozpin said approvingly. "Glynda has been busy with her other duties to focus on the combat prep, so I'm glad you're making her job easier."

We both bowed down our heads in respect to Ozpin, proceeding to our temporary home. He has given us permission to take one of the unused student dorms, so at least that covers residence issues. My only concern was how Hunter is handling things. Thanks to his history on Earth, the UNSC has received a boom of female recruits, only to be turned down and re-evaluate their lives. Now, he has to share a room with four girls, which is begging him to jump out of the window.

"Dark-Greymon, seeing as how we are now part of the staff, what do you plan to do?" Summer asked out of curiosity. "I know for a fact that you can't risk going to the town, unless you want every Huntsmen in the perimeter to kill you."

"Summer, you seem to have forgotten my position in the Covenant," I talked back to her. "I was part of Cyclos' 'Zodiac Warrior' project, and I'm the only one left of them. A few Huntsmen won't be a problem. You should be worrying about your son though."

"I know, I know. He happens to have the worst luck. I just hope he doesn't do anything crazy."

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**RWBY Dorm, Beacon Academy**

**6:11 P.M.**

**December 3****rd**

"Wow, out of all the monsters you faced, you probably wished for a team to help. I can't even see myself taking on a giant skeleton with four arms carrying weapons."

I have been telling JNPR about my past jobs on Earth, and they were really interested in the combat portions. I can't blame them, since I'm sure they can't outdo my record of elite monsters killed or tamed. They then told me about the time when they went through initiation, they were able to kill a raven Grimm called a Nevermore and a scorpion Grimm known as a Deathstalker. We continued our exchange until Ruby had something to say.

"Guys, I was able to get the camera out of my head. I don't know how he did it, but why did Ozpin put it in my hair?"

"Probably to keep an eye on what you're doing, Ruby," Weiss said back to the girl, reorganizing her things in the process. "After all, you did get the special privilege of going to Beacon 2 years ahead of time. He pretty much considers you his star student."

I'm not actually sure about what Weiss said. Ozpin does look mysterious, but he also has that air of being protective. If I had to guess, it's that he sees something in Ruby that he wants enhanced. I guess I have been a little helpful, due to the augmentations she got on Earth. Still, I guess we shouldn't dive deeper into this.

"Hey, mister space man," Nora, the orange head of JNPR, began to speak up to me. "Why is it that you aren't wearing that space armor? You know, the one you had on that night with the bloodsuckers? I really want to see you in it."

"First of all Nora, it's called Spartan Armor," I corrected the girl. "Second of all, why are you asking me? Why not ask Ruby or her team instead?"

"Because I like the way yours looks."

At that point, I decided to ignore the pleading girl. Seeing her along with her team gave me an idea of what JNPR was comprised of. First, there was Jaune. He had to be the leader of the team, but his attitude makes him more like a Pierce of Remnant. Then there was Nora: psychotic, playful, and has a thing with sloths. Pyrrha, the ancient spartan looking girl, happens to be a champion of a tournament three times in a row. Kind of reminds me of those tournament battles Terror is Reality had when they're out of zombies. Then there was Ren, who gives of a calm air from his presence. He also appears to speak only when necessary, a trait I know when I served in the Federation.

Weiss apparently finished unpacking her things and placed them in her dresser, along with taking out a case of Dr. Pepper. I had to wonder why she brought the soda here, but then I realized that she had been that since she got to Earth. She glanced over towards us, wondering if we wanted one.

"Before you ask, I bought this case for myself," she put it out bluntly. "But I guess I can share this stuff with you guys. Just make sure not to tell either Yang or Blake."

* * *

**Several Hours Later**

**Ruby Rose POV**

I just couldn't do it. I know I liked the idea of having bunk beds, but after spending nights at the penthouse, it changes your preferences. Every time I tried to sleep, I just ended up tossing and turning in the sheets. Knowing it was impossible for now, I slowly got up from my bed, looking over to my brother. To my surprise, he was sleeping soundly, despite it not looking like the beds back at Saints Tower. I looked over to see if my roommates were sleeping, only to see them passed out completely.

I quietly got down from my bed down to the floor, making my way over to Chris' bed. I know that he has a few things he needed tomorrow, so without him knowing, I slid myself into his bed, making sure I don't take up much of the covers.

"You know Ruby, you were close on the stealth aspect," Chris whispered when I settled down, causing me to jump. "Was there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Well," I stopped to think about what I'm going to say. "It's just that, ever since we got here, you were ok with being a student. I just wanted to know why?"

"It is true that I don't know much about this world," he answered. "But if I'm going to be staying here for a while, then I will choose whatever works for me. Besides, we do need to figure out who brought over the bio-weapons."

I understood what he meant about the monsters. When we saw them back at the Emerald Forest, he seemed a bit troubled upon finding them. I guess he had a history with them before, seeing as how he recognized the design of the Pantherons. From the way he's thinking it, someone from Earth may have brought more than the one type of bio-weapon. It's also possible that this mysterious smuggler may have been connected to Shadow Hunter, considering that he was preventing us from going back to Remnant.

"Hey Ruby, you may want to get some rest," Chris startled me when I was in thought. "I figured that you have a big day ahead of you. You can't neglect your sleep now, or you won't function properly tomorrow."

"I guess you're right, Chris," I nodded to him, getting ready to pass out. "Good night, Chris Hunter. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

**A/N: *no sign of BlazefireDrago available***

**(W): Where the hell is the author? **

**(R): Sorry Weiss, but he needed some air. Unfortunately, his roommate's fan fiction, The Reaper of Grimm, got more followers than his story.**

**(W): That's what happens when you put more crossovers and references into one story. I'm sure it will die off. Anyways, while I look for him, you do the A/N, ok Ruby?**

**(R): No problem. Chapter three is down for the count, and more will be revealed soon. With me and my team finally settled back in our dorm, things may go back to normal. However, the thought about the bio-weapons running rampant in the wilds concerns Hunter, seeing as how he knows the dangerous capabilities they possess. As for mom and Dark-Greymon, they are now part of the Beacon teaching staff. Will they be able to handle their new duties?**

**(R): Time to explain: Drago figured that since he doesn't know much about dad's attitude, he wanted to make him the overly protective kind of father. Uncle Qrow on the other hand, was made to be the calm and collected of the duo, accepting Chris Hunter into their family. As for Dark-Greymon and mom, he wanted them to discuss their new positions with Ozpin in private, therefore having Hunter, Qrow and dad leave for the tour.**

**(R): With that in mind, I'm Ruby Rose, signing out for BlazefireDrago.**

**Oh, and before I forget, here's a stinger for you, set on Earth.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Grand Canyon, Arizona**

**00:41 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 4****th****, 4021**

News of the battle between the Sky Marshal and Shadow Hunter spread like wildfire early today, and Lieutenant Commander Omega was observing the ground where it took place. As a former machine developed by Eggman, Omega defected to the UNSC after hearing Hunter's ideals years ago. After many upgrades and enhancements, He was able to speak like a normal human, despite being a robot.

Omega was given the task of going over the Grand Canyon under orders by President Obama. Complying, he brought his squad, the Obelisks, along with UNSC Scientists Stetmann and Mordio. He figured that after the fight ended, Hunter and his entourage disappeared without a trace. Stetmann was working on a theory until he gained some valuable results.

"THAT'S IT! THAT HAS TO BE THE MISSING LINK!"

Omega was brought back to his senses after hearing the egghead's outburst. Fearing about what it could mean, he walked towards the scientist, wondering what the commotion was all about.

"Doctor Stetmann, what did you find?" the machine asked the scientist, worried about the answer. "This better be connected to Sky Marshal Hunter's disappearance. I don't want to hear any bullshit."

"Well, it turns out that the theory is correct," Stetmann began to explain. "Remember the first case of the Grand Canyon disappearances? That was first documented in the year 1996, with the missing people being a Federation Lieutenant and her daughter. Three years later, another disappearance occurred which took away General Hazard's daughter. Now, the storm appears to connect to Ruby's world, Remnant, but it only appears when the mana is fully charged."

"Doctor, you pretty much lost me."

"It's simple," Stetmann continued the explanation. "Whenever the storm has enough mana, Remnant is connected to Earth for a time. However, their time isn't fully connected to us. I believe that Summer Rose reappeared on Earth on the year 2556, at the end of the Human-Covenant war. The best way to connect the worlds is to constantly supply the storm with mana, so we're going to need the Spirit Origin."

"Now I'm even more lost. Stetmann, what is it that you're trying to say?"

"We need Origin to supply the storm with mana, allowing Remnant to connect to our year properly," Stetmann detailed his plan towards the Obelisk leader. "That way, we can make a bridge and make way for communications."

"Well, you better get on that Stetmann," Omega spoke back after hearing Stetmann's complicated theory. "As far as I know, Origin is one of the 10 Summon Spirits of the world, along with being their king. Until that happens, we're clearing out." The machine then faced his squad. "Obelisks, I'm going to split you into two teams. Team Alpha will be in charge of keeping the eggheads safe, while Team Bravo will search the perimeter."

The squad began to carry out their orders, separating into the teams Omega labelled out. The squad leader himself looked back over to the decaying corpse of Shadow Hunter, thinking that the Bestial Chromatus has been used. Taking in the atmosphere, Omega looked up into the sky, letting out a comment before moving onto his duties.

"You better get back here soon, Sky Marshal. We don't know how long the UNSC will last without you."


	4. 4: Initiation

**A/N: Seeing as how the school year's about to end for me, my spare time would increase a bit. However, I will also have a job over the summer, so that pretty much limits my time on the chapter development. Despite that, I will make sure to upload a chapter on Saturday as per my desired schedule. I will also look into getting any RWBY merchandise I can afford, as well as going to any conventions for cosplay pictures. As for why I chose Saturdays, I figured it was for the best for me.**

**But before I forget, WHO DECIDED TO UPLOAD THIS CHAPTER ON MONDAY?**

**(W): Guilty as charged.**

**(A): Just, why Weiss? You know what, fuck it; I'm not going to question it.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Auditorium, Beacon Academy**

**9:09 A.M.**

**December 5****th**

We received a notification from Professor Ozpin to head over to the main hall, and I was surprised to see everyone here. I guess it has to be about the news of my team returning to Beacon after a month of being missing. It could also be about Chris' initiation, seeing as how none of the students saw what he's capable of. So far, everyone is passing around thoughts on what Ozpin is going to say.

The chatter began to slow down as a screen began to lower, showing an image of my brother at Beacon Cliffs. We also saw Professor Goodwitch making her way onto the stage, along with both mom and Dark-Greymon. Everyone was surprised to see the bio-weapon, thinking that he was a new form of Grimm. Gathering their attention, the professor began her announcement.

"Welcome everyone to a very special day here at Beacon. Today, I am here to announce that as of now, one of the first year teams will have a fifth member. Before we get to that, I would like to introduce you all to two new professors." She stepped sideways to show both mom and the former Covenant member. "These two are Summer Rose and Dark-Greymon, who have filled in the positions of combat instructor and monster studies professor respectively. I expect you all to treat the both of them with respect."

So mom is going to be our new combat instructor now, huh? Well, I have sort of wondered what she used to fight with on her time at Earth. As for Dark-Greymon, I can understand him being the monster studies professor. Professor Port has always bored us with his 'tales of heroism' so many times, so having Dark-Greymon on staff will get us more attentive. Professor Goodwitch continued her announcement

"As for the new student, his name is Chris Hunter. He will be going through a different format of initiation, where he is tasked to pick a relic that coordinates with the team. We have the black bishop piece, which will be team CRDL, the white knight piece, which goes to team RWBY, the white rook piece for JNPR, and the black rook for team CVFY. Whichever piece he picks will land him in the respective team."

Everyone became shocked by this sort of information, knowing that the teams should only be comprised of four members. If a team were to have five, then that only means that Ozpin has pulled some strings to make it work. The students also know nothing about my brother, from the fact that he uses artes when he attacks. What they can tell is that he has his katanas out, which means he may use an arte or two for his landing strategy.

"Hey Ruby, what do you think he'll do for the landing strategy?" Yang looked at me, thinking I have my brother figured out. "Do you think he might make a smooth landing, or go out guns _blazing_?"

"Knowing Chris, I have a feeling he may use Blazing Tempest for part of it," I answered my sister, ignoring the bad pun she made. "Other than that, I don't know what he'll do."

I looked back towards the screen, seeing Professor Ozpin going towards my brother to inform him about what to do. He did the same with us when we did our initiation, but I wonder what Chris is going to encounter there. I bet he'll see some Beowolves or a pack of bio-weapons there. Still, I closed my eyes, hoping he'll make it through alright.

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Beacon Cliffs, Near the Academy**

**9:25 A.M.**

**December 5****th**

"So, seeing as how I told you about the relics, which team are you hoping to join Mr. Hunter?"

"It's obvious, Ozzy," I spoke back to the professor, who seems to be enjoying his coffee. "I'll be in my sister's team."

Ozpin told me about my objective, which is to grab one relic and return to the cliffs. I already looked into what the relics are, only to find out that they were chess pieces. Regardless, I need to grab one and get the hell out and hopefully avoid a battle when necessary. Ozpin also told me that there is a possibility that I'll run into monsters, both Grimm and bio-weapon alike.

"Well then," Ozpin paused to take a sip of coffee, continuing afterwards. "I wish you the best of luck. Hopefully you have a landing strategy in mind."

Hearing that only encourages me to go nuts, as the launch pad went off and sent me out to the sky. Rushing through the sky, I adjusted my grip over my katanas, knowing full well what kind of artes I'm going to be using. As the ground slowly got closer, I began to initiate my own landing strategy.

"I hope Ruby is watching this," I said out loud as I prepared myself. "I'm so going to surprise the hell out of the student body. BLAZING TEMPEST!"

I began to spin my body in a vertical spiral, as flames began to engulf my blades. The resulting arte caused an increase in speed, plummeting me down to the ground in a few seconds flat. Readjusting my weight, I was able to skid on the ground in a smooth motion, cutting a few branches on the way through. At that point, I dispelled the arte and landed on my feet at the right time, so that the forest won't burn down by accident.

"OH YEAH, NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL A FIVE PLATINUM STAR LANDING RIGHT THERE!" I began to laugh like crazy, only to get hit with a broken tree branch. "Ow, why is it that I'm having a running streak of bad luck? First the two lightning strikes, and now a tree branch?"

At that point, a sound of what appeared to be growling came from all around me. I got into my combat stance, cautiously going over my surroundings in preparation for an attack. I wouldn't be surprised if a surviving Pantheron appeared to take revenge, but I realized that I could run into a Grimm.

_Ok Hunter, silence your breathing_, I thought out in silence. _If it was a creature of Grimm, then shut out any negative thoughts. Weiss told you that they run on negative thoughts and emotions. If I shut those away, they should just pass by me_.

On cue, the growling slowly came to a halt, easily preventing an early encounter. With my left eye, I had it set to infrared and found three bipedal wolves walking away from me. I had to guess that they were Beowolves, seeing as I saw indications of bone armor on their bodies. That slowly changed as I picked up bio-weapon signatures approaching the Grimm with the intent to kill. Taking this opportunity, I ran towards the direction of the ruins, ignoring the battle for territory between monsters.

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Auditorium, Beacon Academy**

**10:01 A.M.**

**December 5****th**

"Did you just see that move he pulled off? At first he was just flying in the air, and then WHAM, he became a flaming wheel. I guess that was his landing strategy."

Everyone was surprised to see what Chris pulled off, thinking up any reasons on how he was engulfed in flames. For us however, we all knew that my brother would pull off Blazing Tempest for his landing strategy. It was pretty much second nature for him to combine his attacks with artes. We all continued to watch the feed, showing his escape from the Grimm.

"Well, I guess the Creatures of Grimm are still on the loose," Blake spoke up; intrigued with the way Chris avoided them. "How was it that he was able to avoid the Beowolves?"

"Probably because I told him about them," Weiss answered our faunus teammate. "What I don't get is what Shadow Hunter meant about them. Could they really be former catalysts that psycho brought over? Do we even know what a Divergence Catalyst is?"

We were all brought into deep thought over what that insane shadow meant, only to cast them away when everyone pointed over the screen. From the looks of it, he found himself in a confrontation with a different bio-weapon, which looks like a mechanical behemoth. This particular one was outlined with a bronze coating, and the name 'Lodestar Behemoth' was visible on the arm.

"_Well, I didn't know that you guys were here,_" we all heard Chris making a taunt. "_I guess that means your mama abandoned you to fight for survival._" That only caused the monster go stand on its two feet, and pulled a blade out of its head. "_Aww, did I make a Lodestar mad? So sorry about that._"

The Behemoth bio-weapon went into a rage fit, as it began to swing its sword in the hopes of killing Chris. Fortunately, my brother was having no trouble dodging the swings with ease, not even allowing the monster to connect. That all changed when the bio-weapon managed to cast an earth spell, which caught us all by surprise when it hit Chris.

"_Damn buddy, you do realise that I was messing with you, huh?_" Chris joked around after being hit by the spell, only to get sent flying backwards by the Behemoth's weapon handle.

"CHRIS," I shouted out in fear, not realising that everyone just set their gazes on me. "What, can't a girl worry about her brother's well being?"

The same thing that happened two days ago came back for a repeat as everyone fell down to the ground in a comedic way. I guess this is how it feels to curse yourself for blurting out a fact everyone's never heard of. Ignoring that, I glued my eyes over to the screen to see the Behemoth bio-weapon roaring in victory, only to hear my father in the crowd.

"RUBY, I'M SO GLAD TO SEE YOU'RE ALRIGHT."

I never got a chance to react, as dad appeared out of the crowd and tackled me down to the ground. I didn't know that he was here at all, so I had to guess that Ozpin called him over. Along with him was uncle Qrow, the man who taught me how to wield Crescent Rose. I will have to explain to them that I can use a katana, but the train of thought was interrupted when someone saw something in the screen.

"Ruby, Chris is back up, and it seems he's donned the Pyro Brawlers," Blake called out. "He seems pissed off at the monster now."

Thanks to the commotion dad made, I missed part of Chris' initiation. I saw him wailing on the Behemoth with his greaves and gauntlets, usually throwing in a Demon Fist or a Cerberus Strike in the mix. As if the bio-weapon couldn't handle anymore, he finished the monster off with what appears to be Final Fury. The Lodestar Behemoth let out one last roar before falling to the ground.

"_You may have been a son of a bitch, but you did put up a fight,_" we heard Chris speak to the wrecked machine. "_I know that your AI matrix has been severed. Despite that, your life as a feral beast of the wilds ended too early for you. May you rest in peace._"

After he finished what was said to the remains, Chris began to move his way towards the ruins. Everyone was in shock over his choice in battle tactics, and were more so when he killed it with a different weapon. I, for one, didn't hear him call Helios for a weapon change, so it must be an unlocked semblance. Back on Earth, both Chris and I had to shout out the name of our Spirits and the desired weapon form. I kept wondering more into the matter as Chris got closer to the ruins.

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Emerald Forest Ruins, near Beacon**

**10:31 A.M.**

**December 5****th**

The trek over to my destination was a challenging one, but I finally made it over to the ruins Ozzy told me about. Supposedly, he told me that whatever relic I grab will place me in one of the teams already set up. I made up my mind to be in Ruby's team, seeing as how they are also Spartans. It makes sense to have the UNSC super soldiers together. I will have to take orders from my sister though, so I'm not looking forward to that.

As I spotted the ruins, I have made out a few chess pieces standing on the pillars. This has to be one of the headmaster's jokes, but I don't want to think harder into this. Seeing as how the team names are written alongside the pieces, it made my job a whole lot easier. I did think about the other teams and their capabilities. There was JNPR, led by Jaune. They seemed alright, though I don't see myself with them. CFVY was mysterious, but I hear their leader's weapon is a fucking minigun, so I'm sure they're ok without me. CRDL was also in the same year as JNPR and RWBY, but their reputation as bullies already placed them on my shit list. That leaves RWBY, and I have worked with them back on Earth, with Johnny's rescue op and the Mark Nicht's destruction. Seeing no other options, I grabbed the white knight piece and start my travel back.

"Well then, Ruby, I hope you don't mind me being in your team now," I said to myself, knowing that sis was watching my initiation. "Well, seeing as how I grabbed a 'relic,' I should make my way back to the academy now. Ooh, maybe they might have some burgers and fries when I get back."

My thoughts were interrupted when a stray laser struck the ground in front of me, causing my sight to go straight to the source. To my surprise, the shot was made by none other than the Anavatapta Warmech, another developed bio-weapon brought from Earth. The thing resembled a giant scorpion, only it has saw blades instead of pincers, along with the laser mounted stinger. As for the colors, it was coated in an azure blue paint job with red decals on the arms.

"Oh come on, do I have to include a homicidal scorpion bot into the mix of bad luck? God damn it T, you had to make my bad luck streak grow even more," I blamed Taiyang, even though it wasn't actually his fault. "As for you, Anavatapta, I think your friend, the Manasvin Warmech is waiting for you in hell."

The machine activated the saw blades on its arms, charging in with the intent to kill. I had my fair share of battles with Scorpion-Type monsters, from the Sand Scorpion to Scorpactus, but the Anavatapta Warmech was designed to look similar to the Manasvin. The only difference was this machine prepped it's weaponry as if it took orders.

I dodged whatever moves it made against me, changing my weapons back to katana mode. It surprised me to see that I don't have to call out Helios to change my weapons, as it came to me by instinct. I began to make my own set of attacks towards the mech, making sure that I keep it from attacking. Unfortunately, machines don't stagger as much as normal monsters, seeing as how their pain factor was shut down.

"Well, this could be a problem here," I said to myself, blocking the Warmech's attacks and parrying them with my own. "The last time I took one of these down, I had the help of Gaius' Mystic Arte. Wait, that's it. I have to kill it with a mystic arte."

The Anavatapta continued its assault towards me, but all it did was by me time to activate it. No matter how many lasers it fired, it only missed me by mere inches. Finally, when its ammunition ran dry, that's when I began to end it for good.

"Well Anavatapta, I'm afraid that this is where we part ways for good," I told the machine as I begin the arte enchantment. "My blades are the dragon's fangs! The misdeeds of the six realms shall be purified!" I launched a powerful shockwave towards the bio-weapon, jumping upwards to slice the fire ball. "ABSOLUTE DOMINATION!" the strike caused the shockwave to damage the machine in seven intervals, frying the war machine's circuits to fry. "This is your ultimate punishment."

I took a look back towards the wreckage of the machine, and I have to say, I did a damn good job on the mech. I knew that when it comes to the giganto monsters, both feral and bio-weapon alike, only a mystic arte has the capabilities to kill them. I kind of went overboard, as some of the ruins did get scorched by the attack, along with the chess pieces that were there. Still, it's better to have no homicidal scorpion bot than having one scorpion bot on your backyard. Taking a look back at the Anavatapta's remains, I gave it a little smirk, before heading back to Beacon.

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Auditorium, Beacon Academy**

**Right after Anavatapta's Defeat**

**December 5****th**

"As of now, Chris Hunter has retrieved the white knight piece from the ruins, along with dealing with the recent monstrosity. Due to his abilities, he will be placed in team RWBY as a second-in-command. Ruby Rose, do you accept Chris Hunter as part of your team?"

"Of course I do," I answered without hesitating. "Team RWBY has always worked with him back on Earth, so I will be happy to have him with us. Plus, he was the one to train me with a katana."

We all saw what Chris did to that massive bio-weapon on his initiation, and it made me want to learn a very powerful move. Dad however wasn't ok with that decision, shaking his head sideways when he heard that announcement. Uncle Qrow approved it though, seeing as how Chris' strength was different from everyone else's. It was then when the school all of a sudden got a strange message.

"_Atten… to al… nati… other world_," the message began to get clear up. "_Attention to all natives of the other world, this is Lieutenant Commander Omega of the United Nations' Space Command. We're sending a message to inform you that Sky Marshal Chris Hunter has been detected on your planet. If you see him, keep him on your side. Bio-weapon activity has begun to rise on your side, and only we have the resources to contain them._"

Everyone got worried over the mention of bio-weapons, thinking them to be what they referred to as 'Strange Grimm.' Professor Goodwitch was trying to calm everyone down, only to be met with more confused students of our academy. The message continued on.

"_In a few days' time, on Earth day December 10__th__, 4021, the UNSC-Covenant flagship _Nightshadow _will appear in the skies of your world. When it does, do not shoot it down. We are here to help with your bio-weapon infestation. We would also like to send our regards to Spartan team RWBY, who will do what they can on your side to clean up the monsters. Omega, signing out._"

With that, the message ended, leaving many people in the auditorium to stare right at us. All I know is that we have a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

**A/N: Chris Hunter is now part of Team RWBY, but now everyone wants to know about Ruby's connection to Earth. Will she tell them everything, or will the Sky Marshal? All will be explained on the next chapter, or go through the time skip with only a mention of it.**

**Explanation time: As we know it, the Creatures of Grimm are completely drawn over to negative emotions and thoughts, so I thought if a character cleared his mind, they won't make an attempt to attack. I also wanted to include only the Anavatapta Warmech only, but it changed to both it and the Lodestar Behemoth. As for the message coming from all sides of Beacon, I wanted it to be connected to Omega, since he is a machine as well. If there was anything else I miss, I'll be sure to talk about them at the beginning of next chapters A/N.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	5. 5: Professor Rose

**A/N: With the whole surprise at the end, I have made the entirety of Remnant aware of Earth's existence. Beforehand, it was only known by Professor Ozpin, Qrow and Taiyang. I have been talking to my roommate, the true author of 'The Reaper of Grimm,' and he stated that I should have both Ruby and Ironwood go sparkly eyed over the appearance of the **_**Nightshadow**_**. As for the ship's design, it will have the same appearance as the **_**Palamecia**_** from FF XIII, except with the Covenant colours present on it. One last thing: I have seen fan fics that depict RWBY as a five man team, and I have fallen victim for it. I do have a reason for it: as on Earth, Hunter placed the girls in the Spartan Program, making him their senior officer. On Remnant, he went with the white knight piece, placing him with Ruby's team and making him a second leader of sorts.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**RWBY Dorm, Beacon Academy**

**6:55 A.M.**

**December 6****th**

Everything went by a whole lot crazy since Chris' initiation. Not only was he placed in my team, but we also had to answer questions to our ties with Earth. I never understood why I had to endure a whole Q&amp;A session back at the auditorium, but their questions only ranged from what Earth was like to the usage of Dust on the surface. To calm them down, I showed them pictures of Gizmon City, from the skyscrapers that took the skies to the complete, mechanical moon hanging from the sky. I also told them that instead of Dust, the people there use Spirits with their chores, from the simple home tasks to advanced combat. Needless to say, everyone couldn't believe in a world that survived without Dust.

I woke up surprisingly early today, waking up to the sounds of everyone else sleeping. Chris wasn't in his bed when I woke up, so I had to guess that he went out for breakfast. Quickly getting dressed, I quietly opened the door leading to get out, closing the door behind me and leaving my team to sleep in peace. I turned around to see Coco awake as well, along with my friend Jaune and his teammate Pyrrha.

"Oh hey, Little Red," Coco greeted me when as I stepped back. "To what do we owe the pleasure of seeing our world travelling friend here? I bet you wanted to grab breakfast early today, don't you?"

"Yeah, something like that," I answered the CVFY leader, scratching my head in the process. "That and I developed that habit of waking up earlier than usual. Being a Spartan on Earth does that to your body."

"Oh, yeah, do you care to elaborate Ruby?"

"Well, you pretty much heard what we had to say about Earth, its society, the culture. Hell, Cardin asked about what kind of monsters it has." I began to walk over to the cafeteria with the group, continuing what I had to say. "I'm not really surprised to see everyone go crazy over the 'no Dust' dilemma, since we have been dependant on it our entire lives. However, humanity became dependant on beings called spirits, allowing them to move on with their daily lives."

"Well, I guess it will take me sometime to process this piece of information," Coco stated as we got close to the cafeteria. "What I want to know is this: is it true that you and this Chris Hunter guy are brother and sister?"

"Yes we are. Twins in fact," I answered truthfully to the girl. "Trust me; it was a surprise to learn that the guy who saved me when I arrived on Earth happens to be my sibling. But, despite having to deal with shadows, a fifty foot mech, and see your teammate fight through a horde of zombies, we actually bonded over the month. Oh, and the thing is, he is the highest ranking soldier in his military, the UNSC."

"I have actually wondered about what that meant," Jaune finally decided to speak up. "Is the UNSC that powerful, or is it just him?"

That was an easy question for me to answer. The UNSC is composed of veterans of the wars Earth faced, from the Covenant to machines called Mils. Hell, Chris leads his own squad called the Roughnecks, and their members also happen to be squad leaders. I only got to meet one: Omega, the lieutenant commander of omega squad or 'the Obelisks.' If I ever had a squad, I would like to name them 'the Rosies." As I continued to be in thought, we all arrived to the cafeteria, and the sight of my brother caught us by surprise.

"Hey Ruby, what the hell took you so long?" my brother asked, eating what appears to be French toast. "I thought for sure that you wouldn't be able to get here."

"Chris, you should know better to address your team leader like that," I retorted, knowing my position should have an effect on him. "Besides, you didn't even wake me or the whole team. All you did was disappearing to the cafeteria."

"Well to be fair, I am still a higher rank than you in terms of military status, sis. You may be the team leader of the group, but I'm still the Sky Marshal, so that still makes me your superior."

Man, I hate it when he's right. As far as I know, a Sky Marshal has complete control of the military when he's around, as well as being the second most powerful individual on Earth, second only to the president. Due to all of that, I can't really argue against him over that, so I just grabbed my breakfast and walked back to Chris.

"So brother, why is it that you're up early in the morning? You should know that we only have one class today, and that's Combat Training with Professor Goodwitch."

"I don't think that she will be with us today, Ruby," Chris told me. "I checked my schedule on my cell phone, and apparently mom will be our professor for Combat Training. I have a feeling that she's going to be teaching everyone about artes, despite the fact that there's no mana on Remnant."

"Wait, if there's no mana here, then how is it that you're able to cast your artes?" I asked out of confusion. "Are we like, on a limited supply of mana?"

"No, we'll be able to cast artes freely Ruby. That is one of the positives of having a Spirit: we don't have to worry about wasting mana."

I guess he has a point. Before I came to Earth, I had no clue as to what an arte is or what it is capable of. After staying there and learning how to use a katana, I also grew accustomed to having to rely on my semblance and the abilities Chris taught me. And ever since I have met Blaze, my artes have grown a lot stronger than before, and I can control the elements of Fire, Wind, and Lightning, while my brother only has control over Fire.

"So, Chris Hunter," Coco began to speak up to the veteran Spartan. "What can you tell us about Earth? More specifically, about the people living there and the monsters?"

"Well," Chris began to gather his thoughts. "From what I can tell you, Earth has never had any problems with the Creatures of Grimm. They never existed on the planet's surface. Instead, we had the pleasure of dealing with monsters like the Behemoths, Triffids and Wyverns, to feral bio-weapons like the Pantheron and Frag Leeches. Even when we weren't dealing with them, Earth has been at war with other sentient life in the cosmos."

He continued his explanation throughout breakfast, knowing that Remnant has a lot to learn about the other world. He never could figure out the truth behind the teleportation storm, but he thinks that if Earth is sending the _Nightshadow_, then the scientists must have found a breakthough. I did push Stetmann into looking into the storm before I left for Remnant, so I guess part of the brag belongs to me. He finished up his story as our breakfast gathering ended, causing us all to get ready for the one class for the day.

* * *

**A few hours later**

**Beacon Stadium, Beacon Academy**

Getting the team up wasn't so bad this time. All of us had gotten used to the beds back at Saints Tower on Earth, so sleeping in bunk beds sort of became alien to us. Weiss was the first to be up when we came to get them, followed by Blake and Yang. They had to get breakfast on their own while Chris and I got ready. To spice things up for today, I decided on wearing the clothes Chris got me the day after we met.

After getting everything we needed for class, I lead my team towards the stadium. It wasn't as grand as the arena back at Fortune City, but it was a decent size to hold the sparring matches. Standing right in the middle was mom, who is still wearing my brother's clothes from the day of the race. What surprised me was what was beside her: a shelf of bottles containing a purple liquid.

"Alright, listen up everyone," Mom began to speak to the class. "My name is Summer Rose. As of now, Professor Goodwitch will not be looking over this class as I took over for her. If you think a change in teachers would give you a break, then you are in for a rude awakening. I will not go easy on you like Glynda did, as I will be teaching you how the people on Earth fought. If you wish to address me, then call me Professor Rose, Lieutenant or Ma'am. Do you get me?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, trying to grasp what had said to them. I looked over and saw that my brother was impressed with her tone. Those that didn't accept, team CRDL, merely laughed it off as if it was a joke. That didn't last long, as mom literally sent an Azure Edge towards them, barely missing Cardin's head in the process. Chris looked over towards the shelf before asking her about them.

"Hey Professor, I was wondering why you have a whole shelf filled with bottles. It's not the right time to get drunk."

"Well Chris, these bottles happened to be filled with an ingestible substance of mana," mom answered my brother without missing a beat. "These mana vials were given to me by Tosh, and I'll be glad to put them in use. And by the way Chris; you, your sister, and your whole team are exempt to calling me those. You can just call me mom instead, ok?"

And, for the third time in the row, everyone in the class, including my whole team fell down in a comedic fashion. Even I started to think that this has started to become a routine. While everyone is trying to recover, I took the time to ask why she has the mana vials in the first place.

"Mom, why do you have those bottles in the first place? If I recall correctly, the people here on Remnant cannot use artes unless they have a Spirit or on a place filled with mana. What would be the point of having the vials?"

"To answer your question Ruby," she took a small breath, thinking on how to word out the explanation. "The mana vials here contain small traces of Spirit power within them. It takes one full bottle to give someone unfamiliar to mana the ability to generate it without a Spirit. This will allow a native of Remnant to generate artes. My role as professor is to train you in how to manage and control your artes, as well as expanding each of your combat styles. Speaking of which, Ruby Rose and Chris Hunter, you two will be giving examples of many different artes, since you both have Spirits."

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Headmaster's Office, Beacon Academy**

**11:27 A.M.**

**December 6****th**

"_So that's what the commotion is Ozpin. In that regards, I will be at Beacon sometime on the 9__th__. I assure you, we at the Atlas military will look into the matters of the odd message we received yesterday._"

"Please see that you do," Opzin spoke through his scroll. "As far as I know, this '_Nightshadow_' is not to be trifled with. Ironwood, I don't think whoever sent that message has any hatred towards us."

"_Are you certain about this, Ozpin_," The caller, Ironwood asked the headmaster. "_This could be some sort of White Fang trap, luring us into a false sense of security until they strike._"

"If that were the case General, then why didn't we pick anything up from them when the message played? James, you should know that this could be a major step in Remnant's development. If we are to meet with the owner of the _Nightshadow_, then we may be able to establish peace with the other world."

"_Ozpin, I have placed my faith in your choices for far too long. If this 'Earth' you speak of happens to have the means to travel here, then whatever they have may be either non-existent or primitive. I will be arriving with President Schnee the day before this '_Nightshadow_' arrives._"

The call between both Ozpin and Ironwood ended, leaving the Headmaster alone to his thoughts. Unlike his colleague, the headmaster saw how advanced Earth's technology was, from the machines patrolling in the streets to the machine Ruby and her team took down. Breathing out a sigh of annoyance, Ozpin looked out to the horizon, knowing that the general will be bringing in a fleet of airships.

"James, you better not screw this up for us. If the _Nightshadow_ saw your fleet, they would not hesitate to fire at you."

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Beacon Stadium, Beacon Academy**

**11:41 A.M.**

**December 6****th**

It was truly hectic for the whole class, as they saw both myself and my brother exchanging blows with our artes. We both started out with our signature weapons, from my Crescent Rose to his Blazing Masamunes. Everyone noticed how I was able to keep my cool against the veteran Spartan, but more so when I changed Crescent Rose into Crescent Blaze. It turned from a battle between our comfortable fighting styles to a duel to see who is better with the Katana. After a hectic battle between siblings, Chris and I ended the fight with our katanas near our necks.

"And that is that for a heated demonstration," mom spoke up after our duel ended. "As you guys can see, both Chris and Ruby are capable of casting artes, due to their connections to their Spirits. Despite that, they are both at equal strength. You two can stand by the sidelines for now."

We both complied with what the professor asked us to do, thinking that we'll be helping her teach the class about artes. I don't know how the mana vials should help at all, seeing as how the Spirit race isn't on Remnant. She signalled everyone else to grab a bottle and drink the substance within. This was one of the first steps mom planned in order to teach them about arte capabilities. Once everyone had taken a bottle and drank the contents, Blake appeared with a radio and spoke up.

"Guys, we got something. The White Fang are on the move, and it looks like they're not alone."

Upon hearing this, she turned up the volume on the radio, tuning it to have us hear the latest news. Lisa Lavender was heard, and it sounded like she was in a state of panic. When we got closer, we all heard what the commotion was.

"_This just in: We are getting reports that the White Fang are raiding the shops in Central Vale. While we have not confirmed their intentions, we at the VNN believe that they are retaliating for the breach months ago. Sources claim that the Fang are currently being backed by a female with brown and pink hair, along with a small pack of Strange Grimm._"

The White Fang are getting back up from the bio-weapons? And why would that woman that Yang fought on the Train lead the attack. We have to find out the White Fang's intentions, and figure out who supplied them with the mechanized monsters. Knowing that the answers are out there, I decided to gather my team and head over to where the White Fang are.

"Hey, what the hell's going on Ruby," I heard Chris ask. "Is there something going on that I should know about?"

"Sorry Chris, but something just came up," I answered in a rush, dedicated to getting to the bottom of this. "I promise I'll tell you everything."

We all headed out to where the White Fang were causing trouble, thinking that they picked the wrong day to make a move. I could have sworn that mom told my brother to keep an eye on us. Regardless, I can't wait to show the terrorist organization how powerful we have gotten, from the augmentations to the artes.

* * *

**A/N: This was an absolute bitch to write. I began writing this two weeks ago, and I have struggled with Writer's Block so badly that I tried to keep a good idea. Regardless, I was able to get pass that and went with what came up. I have to admit it, but sticking with a chapter idea was hard.**

**Now to explain something: The mana vials that Summer brought over to the class was something that I came up with. I am aware that everyone on Remnant has Aura and Semblance, along with fighting with Dust. However, due to the bio-weapons appearing on the surface, everyone will have to learn about artes. The whole Spirit power in the mana vials also came to mind, as the Spirits themselves generate mana for the world. For the class to use artes, the mana vials were needed to allow their bodies to generate mana as well.**

**With that in mind, I'm blazefireDrago, leaving behind a stinger told IN NEO'S PERSPECTIVE? HOLY CRAP!**

* * *

**Neo POV**

**Vale Shopping District, Vale**

**2:01 P.M.**

**December 6****th**

I'll be honest; I never liked working for Cinder. I was raised under the philosophy that whatever you do will have a reward in the end. Despite that, I had to put up with this, knowing that she won't tolerate failure. To make matters worse, I now have to follow orders from a group of people calling them Desperado, Cyborgs who happened to have delivered the monsters to the mad woman.

I took part in a large scale White Fang operation to trash as many shops as possible, hoping that it would lure in those girls. The blonde one, Goldilocks, seems to be more interested in killing me on the spot, since I have humiliated her at both the highway and the train. The one thing I don't want happening is killing _Him_, knowing that I value my friendship to him. He might not remember me, but I never had the chance to tell him how I felt.

"Ma'am, every store in this part of Vale has been torched," a White Fang grunt informed me, holding a case containing explosive Dust crystals. "I should let you know that we have found the girls. They are now on their way over to us."

"Good," I said back to the faunus. "Continue burning the neighborhood, and make sure the girls stay their ground. Leave the blonde one to me. I have a little score to settle with the bitch."

The Grunt saluted back to me, heading over to relay my orders to the Fang. I knew that blondie would make her way over to me, giving me the chance to kick her ass again. However, if I ever see _Him_ again, I would defect immediately to his side. Until then, I am at the service of Cinder Fall, the supposed Queen of the 'new world order.' As I was kept in thought, Goldilocks showed up in front of me, ready to entertain me for the day.

"Well, I am glad to finally see you again Goldilocks," I spoke up to my opponent. "Are you about ready to lose a third time around? I'm sure that Hell has a spot ready for you."

"Sorry Shorty, but this brute is staying right here," She said back at me. "Besides, I don't want to be in the same place as my shadow. Just be ready to lose this time."


	6. 6: Neo's Resolve

**A/N: Neo has begun her assault and now it is up to RWBY to stop her. Now, I have made plans on making her start out as an antagonist, and develop her into a protagonist. Due to the hints I have given out on last chapter's stinger, you should get a clear grasp on who she was referring to. Along with the chaos, there may be a cameo appearance from one of the main antagonists.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Yang Xiao Long POV**

**Downtown Vale**

**1:41 P.M**

**December 6****th**

It didn't take long for us to get the news that those White Fang bastards decided to cause shit here in Vale. I mean, it hasn't been a week since we got back, and we already have to clean up their shit. I have to think that maybe Chris gave us a hint of his bad luck before we set out to help Vale, but I know that he'll surprise us when we're too occupied.

We already touched down into Vale around a half hour ago, and already we were neck deep in White Fang and bio-weapon forces. Ruby was able to keep us coordinated, using the tactics that her brother taught her. Regardless, the bio-weapons we encountered here were different from the ones we saw back at the Emerald Forest, as well as some improved versions of the Pantherons.

"Alright RWBY," my sister spoke up. "As of right now, these guys are too spread out from the center of the shopping district. I believe that their boss is there, but we can't charge in recklessly. Instead, we are going to split up, evening their numbers to each one of us. Yang, you will head straight to the center, seeing as how that girl is there."

"Thanks Rubes," I told Ruby. "I'll make sure to tell you all about everything that happened there. Besides, I can't wait to beat the crap out of that bitch."

We all separated after going through the plans Ruby laid out for us, giving us the chance to take out as many White Fang as much as possible. I pretty much left no room for error, making sure any foe I encountered was on the ground with a major bruise. Despite all the terrorists coming after me, they never could stand a chance against the best brawler Beacon had to offer.

"Oh come on, it has been a month since I have fought you pussies, and you still couldn't land a hit on me," I said as I punched a bio-weapon into a group of foes. "Oh well, I guess I have to actually run into the running the show."

True to what I said, I eventually ended up at the center of the shopping district. Right in front of me was that same girl that humiliated me on that train months ago. I never did catch her name, but it won't matter when I beat her to a pulp.

"Well, I am glad to finally see you again Goldilocks," she spoke up to me. "Are you about ready to lose a third time around? I'm sure that Hell has a spot ready for you."

"Sorry Shorty, but this brute is staying right here," I said back at her. "Besides, I don't want to be in the same place as my shadow. Just be ready to lose this time."

"Your shadow? Well I guess this should be interesting. I wish I had the pleasure of meeting the thing."

"Trust me, it's better that you don't," I told her. "But enough talk. You know why I am here. It's about time we finish our score, and you are going down this time."

We both got into our combat positions, waiting to see which one of us will make a move. I knew that I lost big time to this girl, but thanks to the advice from Earth, I know I can take her down. Without a second to waste, my opponent began her string of attacks, trying to catch me off guard with that umbrella of hers. Thankfully, I was able to dodge them easily; something that the girl never thought was possible.

"Damn, you have improved since our fight on the train," my foe told me, trying to strike me with her weapon. "I guess I have to step it up."

She began to use her semblance during the fight, trying to take me down to the ground. I was able to parry some of her attacks and landed a few blows on her body, but that only caused her to get more uptight. We continued this pattern of attacks until one of us is tired, but that will take forever at this point. I never had to use my semblance for one bit during the fight, focusing more on defence and returning strikes.

"Come on, my shadow put up more of a fight than you, and she almost had me killed," I taunted her, thinking that this would get her. "If that was all you had, then this is obviously a win for me."

The girl began to strike at me furiously now, hoping that I would go down to her umbrella. However, she pulled out an Estoc out of the freaking thing, and lunged it right at me. I never had any experience with handling with Estoc wielders, but I hung around with Weiss to know how to avoid those strikes. I dodged some of her thrusts with her weapon, only receiving minor cuts in the progress. I know I have to retaliate soon, and this happens to be the right time.

"Well, are you happy now, Goldilocks?" my opponent asked. "I think you would look a whole lot better with more cuts, and a lot of lost blood, don't you think?"

"Sorry bitch, but that is not going to happen," I retorted. "I haven't even shown you some of my new moves yet. DEMON FIST!"

I launched a shockwave towards my foe, surprising her in the process. I knew using artes was the perfect chance to take her down, and I figured now was the right time. She got back up after getting hit with Demon Fist, only to see me land more blows on her center with Cerberus Strike. She never had a chance to return any hits on me, but I shouldn't lower my guard yet. When she got back up again, she lunged back at me again, only this time she was able to strike me in the arm.

"Damn it, why is it that you're winning this?" my opponent asked, striking me again. "There is no way that you went from weakling to a powerhouse since that day."

"You should thank one month's time on Earth for that," I answered back, blocking her latest attack. "I also had the privilege of learning some artes there."

"BULLSHIT. There is no way that you went to Earth. If you had, then I would have known of it by now."

Mentioning Earth was probably a bad move on my part, as she began to go on a craze with her attacks. The calculated moves she made were replaced with a thirst bloodlust, as the girl began to swing the Estoc uncontrollably. That would mean that I broke a nerve in her, so I have to finish this quick. Backing away from her craze, I was able to clear some distance from the psycho.

"Jeez girl, I never thought you would go ape shit over hearing Earth," I spoke the unstable girl.

"Well maybe it's because you don't know what the hell you're talking about, she shouted back. "I know for a fact that you're lying, so just do me a favor and die already."

Time seemed to have slowed down for me this time, as she began to sprint towards me. Why would she get stressed out over me mentioning Earth if she looked like she was born here on Remnant. Unless she was like Ruby, I don't see this psycho being from Earth. As she got closer to me, a flare strike from the air interrupted her. The flames then dissipated, showing Chris in his Spartan armor.

"What the hell, don't you see that we're in a fight," the girl asked. "You should know better than to interrupt something as important as this."

"I could care less about what you were doing," Chris spoke to her. "What I want to know is why you're leading this assault. Why waste your time going through your blind rage, when you can calm down and think through this rationally."

At that point, the girl looked at Chris with a surprised look on her face. It looked like she was remembering something important from the past. If that was the case, then why is she looking at my teammate with a stunned look on her face? That was quickly answered when she spoke up.

"I can't believe it. Only one other person told me that, and that was my father. He said the same thing to me and this other kid I knew. There is no way that you know that phrase, unless…"

She then pulled out what appears to be a photograph, and handed it over to Chris. To my surprise, he was taken back over what the photo looked like, so I walked over and saw it myself. It looked like a picture showing two kids in front of a bunch of soldiers, along with the writing 'In ricordo dei nostril amici' with the names 'Neo Hazard' and 'Chris Hunter' at the bottom. Looking back at the girl, Chris slowly made his way to her.

"Neo, is that really you," he asked her, receiving a nod to confirm it. "Oh god, it really is you. I never thought I would see you again, but here you are."

"It has been too long, Chris," the girl, Neo, replied back, hugging him as he got close to her. "13 years to be exact. But how did you get here, and is daddy still around?"

"I'm sorry Neo, but your father, General Hazard, died on the line of duty. Ever since you disappeared that day, he was completely heartbroken about it. It was during a war that he lost his life, but he told me to continue fighting forward."

At that point, I had to move away a bit, knowing that this is pretty much their reunion. It did take me by surprise to learn that Neo, the psycho who humiliated me on the train, happens to be an Earthborn human, and a daughter of a military general. I looked back and saw the girl crying over his shoulder, taking in the news of her father's death, only to see another individual coming towards us.

"Well, well, well, I never would have thought that you would fail on your assignment Neopolitan," the figure spoke up, gaining our attention. "I guess we shouldn't trust our clients to do a Cyborg's job. Still, you did do a very good job in trashing the shops with the weapons we supplied."

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Shopping District, Vale**

**2:41 P.M.**

**December 6****th**

"Ok, that was the last one. I hope the others are alright, but first, I have to take a picture."

I was able to clear out most of the White Fang and some of the bio-weapons before they could do any damage, leaving what's left over to the team. It was my decision to help the city with the problem before it escalates, but the faunus wouldn't give up at all. I did go a little overboard when I used Hell Pyre on a Behemoth type bio-weapon. Still, I was getting the job done, and left a shut down, but intact bio-weapon for later.

"_Ruby, its Weiss_," my partner called me over the comms. "_Chris interrupted the fight between Yang and that girl. It turns out that she was also an Earthborn like you and Professor Rose. Also, they got company in a form of a pink haired woman._"

"Are you sure about that Weiss," I asked her to see if that was true. "Well I guess that's why Chris didn't come with us to take down the White Fang. He had to observe a fight and intervene when necessary."

"_Well, you know how he is… Oh no. Ruby, I think that woman is also an Earthborn. I can tell cause she doesn't have an aura._"

"No aura? That is bad news. Weiss, I'm heading there now, so when you're done, get over there as fast as possible."

I hung up on Weiss before she had the chance to talk back, strapping a beacon on the bio-weapon's remains. If that woman came from Earth just like we did, then there is no doubt that she may be connected to Shadow Hunter. Maybe she wasn't alone in this, and brought the bio-weapons over to Remnant. In order to confirm this, I have to make my way over as fast as possible.

* * *

**Neo POV**

**Shopping District Center, Vale**

**2:50 P.M.**

**December 6****th**

Why is this happening? I was finally able to reunite with my childhood friend, when a Desperado captain showed up to ruin the moment. I already knew about Desperado ever since they introduced themselves to Cinder and Roman, but the names are still a mystery to me. This particular captain seems to be of French descent, but even that would change when she's a cyborg.

Our newest addition walked passively slow towards us, and I can tell that she has a murderous smile hiding in her coat. Long pink hair flowed over half her face, and a glint of red light appeared in her eyes. The air around us went cold as hell as she came close to us, and the stench of death looms around her being.

"Congratulations Neo, you have managed to lure the UNSC Sky Marshal towards me," She said to me as she kept coming closer. "Though, it pains me to say this, but your reward for the job is a quick death with your friend. Still, you did all of us a favor, so we at Desperado will gladly end your misery."

"Mistral, I never thought I would see you again," Chris spoke back at her. "If I had to guess, Desperado must be responsible for releasing the bio-weapons on Remnant."

"Correct. You can also add us being Shadow Hunter's employers, since we ordered him to keep you away. We can't exactly have you ruining our plans now, can we?"

Goldilocks, who heard the news, quickly made a beeline towards the Cyborg, hoping to get a punch in. Unfortunately, her fist never met Mistral as dodged the blow and caught her with the coat. Underneath, the Cyborg wore a skin tight suit, and it looked like she had 7 more pairs of arms on her body. With them, she grabbed Blondie and slammed her into the ground. Disappointed, Mistral placed her foot on the girls head, keeping her gaze at us.

"Well, I guess I could just leave you alive for now," she told us. "It's not like you know exactly what we're up to, so I doubt you will be a problem for now. Let me give you one piece of advice: no matter what, don't get involved with us, or else you will die by our hands."

With that said, she grabbed her jacket and walked away from us, ignoring the blonde in pain. I wondered why she didn't take the chance to kill us now, but for now that wasn't important. What was important was that I can finally catch up with Chris, who I haven't seen for the rest of my life. Hopefully, I will have the courage to tell him how I feel.

"Hey guys, I hate to be rude, but will you help me up," Blondie shouted out, ruining the moment for me. Chris and I walked over to her and lifted her without a problem. The damage she received from Mistral wasn't fatal, but she will need medical attention when we get to the hospital. I know that I have done wrong to the girl, so I plan on making a formal apology to her later in the future.

"Neo, this may be a bit of a surprise, but how about you come with us over to Beacon," Chris asked me as we're walking out of the center. "I'm aware that you have done things that weren't 'pleasant, but I can talk with Ozpin about clearing your record and integrate you into the school. And if anyone has a problem with it, then I can deal with it no problem."

"I… I don't know what to say Chris," I replied back. "I mean, that is a tempting proposition, but will they even accept a girl like me?"

"Don't worry about it. Don't you remember what your dad told us back when we were kids? He told us that no matter what happens, we are to look out for each other. That includes the here and now, where have just reunited. Neo, I won't leave you behind ever again."

Hearing him say that brightened my mood a bit. I know he has a point, so I nodded my head in agreement and accepted his offer. I knew that by doing this, I have turned my back on Torchwick, Cinder, and they're contact Desperado. This won't be going unnoticed, as I have no doubt that they'll send assassins to kill me. Despite that, I made my choice to go with him and atone for what I've done.

At that moment, a new chapter in my life begins, as an informant to Chris and a traitor to Desperado.

* * *

**A/N: GOD DAMMIT WRITERS BLOCK. This has taken so long to write out on the spot, as I had to take breaks to get rid of it. Eventually it went away, but then I missed my target deadline of Saturday. Why must this happen to me?**

**Anyways, Neo has now defected to Hunter's side, but Desperado has made an appearance. Seeing as how their connection with Shadow Hunter has been confirmed, the Cyborgs are now on the loose on the world of Remnant. How will they deal with the threat that Desperado provides, and will the **_**Nightshadow **_**will be enough to handle the situation? All will be revealed in due time.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	7. 7: Complications

**A/N: Seeing as how that Neo joined the protagonists, Desperado has revealed themselves to be behind the bio-weapons' release. Now, Hunter will have to look into the matter of the White Fang/Desperado connection, while looking for a way back home.**

**Bringing Mistral in at the last chapter was what I call an 'ok' call at the time, so I figured it was a good way to establish the antagonists towards the cast. I wanted to have them make an unofficial appearance towards the characters by having the White Fang cause as much damage as possible, while they themselves move in the shadows.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**RWBY Dorm, Beacon Academy**

**6:49 A.M.**

**December 8****th**

Everything happened so fast after that encounter with Mistral, and I have to say that I am exhausted. Physically, I never got a chance to take out any of the White Fang, and I only interrupted the fight between Yang and Neo. Regardless, I learned that Desperado did in fact have Shadow Hunter try to kill us back on Earth. Whatever they planned next won't go over that easily though, since I'm the one who knows them better.

I slowly started to stir out of my sleep, starting with the usual toss and turn. I never liked the idea of waking up early, but being a Spartan and a Sky Marshal forces you to think otherwise. As I slowly got up, my hand suddenly grabbed something out of place, making me stop for a moment. Giving my hand a couple of squeezes, I can tell that I am touching something soft. Just to make sure, I tilted my head and opened my eyes, only to see that Neo was sleeping beside me with my hand on her breast. At that point, I instantly jolted out of bed, causing her to wake up.

"Wha… where am I," Neo asked tiredly, taking in her surroundings until she saw me. "Oh, good morning Chris, did you sleep well?"

"Neo, what the hell are you doing here," I whispered back, making sure I didn't wake the others. "Didn't Ozpin tell you that you were to sleep in JNPR's room? And why were you sleeping in my bed?"

"Chris, are you saying that you don't enjoy it? We used to sleep together when we were kids, so I thought maybe we could do it again."

"That was back when we were kids, Neo. We're both grown-ups now, so doing this sort of thing will only make things worse."

She only smiled after I said that, so of course she wouldn't understand what I'm trying to say. I looked back at the room to see if the others were getting up, only to see that Ruby and the others were still passed out. Turning my head back towards Neo, I let out one more sigh before continuing on.

"Listen Neo, I know that you have missed me for years, but you have to understand that the things we used to do as kids can't be done again. I don't know how to say this, but maybe you should cut it out for now, ok Neo?"

"Ok then, I'm sorry for doing this Chris," She replied back. "I hope you can forgive me."

"Are you kidding me," I paused to pet her hair a bit. "You should know that I'll always forgive you. Just make sure never to do it again. Besides, didn't your dad tell us to always forgive your friends? I'm just going along with his teachings. Anyways, since we're up, wanna go get breakfast?"

Neo nodded happily to my suggestion, and I quickly got on to my feet. Before I could get a change of clothes ready and change out of my tank top and shorts, she came up to me and pressed her lips on mine. I was actually surprised to see Neo kissing me, taking my first like that. If I could, I would have fainted right away.

* * *

**Minutes Later**

**Cafeteria, Beacon Academy**

"So you are telling me that Neo actually came up to you and kissed you in the lips? Damn Hunter, I never thought I would hear this. The girls in the UNSC are so going to get jealous of her."

I told the whole story of what happened earlier to both mom and Dark-Greymon, and they just started laughing when I finished. From seeing her sleeping in my bed instead of the one provided in JNPR's dorm, to giving me my first kiss. I never believed that I would see the day, since I went through life threatening situations from Covenant attack squads to homicidal Spirits. To help explain this further, I had to bring Neo with me, who mom instantly took a liking towards her.

"Dark-Greymon, I don't care what the girls say," I told the bio-weapon who summed it up. "Besides, it just happened at the spot. To be honest… I kind of… liked it."

"Aww, our little Sky Marshal has now crawled out of his shell and got his first kiss," Dark-Greymon said in an annoying tone before laughing. "The kid grew up so fast; I couldn't keep up with him anymore."

"Mr. Greymon, it wasn't that big of a deal… though it was my first kiss too," Neo added. "And I haven't even asked him to be my boyfriend yet."

"Ooh, how bold Neo. Don't worry about that kind of crap. I'm sure he would love having you as a girlfriend."

"I'm over here, you know," I pointed out to the both of them, only to be ignored.

"Well, I don't really know what to say Mr. Greymon, but if you think so…," she pauses to take a bite out of her breakfast. "If you think it will work, then I guess I'm all for it."

I just zoned out of their conversation, knowing that my life would change over this new development. I wonder why Neo was so keen on being in a relationship with me, but then I realized that we were basically inseparable when we were kids. Hell, I remember one time when we were separated by a whole contingent of soldiers, just so we could get our lessons from the higher ups. Thinking about that, it was as close to a relationship as any. My thoughts were quickly drawn away when mom spoke up.

"You mentioned something about Desperado a few days ago, correct? Are you actually referring to that damn PMC Desperado Enforcement LLC?"

"Yeah, the very same PMC, mom," I answered back. "I don't know, but I have a feeling that they have more than planned. Their connections to the White Fang could be just part of some master plan. Whatever it is, we're going to stop it."

"You seem determined on taking on an entire PMC. There is only one person that I want dead, and I'll make sure he pays."

"Don't worry mom," I placed my hand on her shoulder. "Desperado will be put to the ground. I'll make sure that they won't escape this time."

At that moment, Ruby and her team decided to show up to show up in the cafeteria. Unlike myself and Neo, they woke up later to the sound of their alarm. They grabbed their variants of breakfast, from a pile of pancakes for Yang to an entire plate of chocolate chip cookies for Ruby. Once they sat down with us, Neo took the time to explain how she met Desperado.

"Well, I think I should shed some light on one of those guys' connections. You see, back when I was working for Roman Torchwick, we were having some problems with the Dust theft operations. That pretty much changed when Desperado came over and offered a deal: they would offer the bio-weapons in exchange for part of the cut. It worked out rather well, as the White Fang actually became successful in the thefts."

"So you're saying that these Cyborgs appeared out of nowhere and gave you the bio-weapons for money," Blake asked. "If that's the case, why would they go to the White Fang?"

"I think it is only part of their plan," I interrupted, getting everyone's attention. "Knowing those guys, they would have a more elaborate plan than associate with the Fang. I have a feeling that they would target a corporation or one of Remnant's money makers."

"If that is what those degenerates are looking into getting their hands on a corporation, then I believe that the Schnee Dust Company would be a target," Weiss added. "My father happens to be the head of the company, and his practices are questionable. In fact, he is one of the driving forces of placing Faunus in horrible working conditions."

"If I know Desperado, I have a feeling that they won't stop with destroying a corporation. They would take it out and branch out one of the largest PMCs Earth has to offer."

"The largest PMC on Earth," Blake asked out of curiosity. "What exactly are you referring to?"

"World Marshal," I answered back. "They were once connected to Desperado years ago, and I believe that they will rebuild it from the ground up."

I didn't check to realize that Ruby hasn't been paying attention to our conversation. It is rather complicated to see that we have to deal with an Earthborn threat that managed to lay root on Remnant. Still, I have faith that she'll manage herself. What I did notice was that she instantly passed out on her food.

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Valley of Dreams**

**Unknown Date and Time**

Why am I here again? Why am I back here in the dream world, when I should be back at the cafeteria? I had paid attention to what Desperado was, from when Neo told us of how they came, to Chris' thoughts on their ultimate plans. The next thing I knew, I'm back in the dream world for the third time again.

When I appeared here again, I noticed that everything was pretty much the same. Beacon Academy was right beside the mega tower that was the UNSC Headquarters, but what's different about it now is that it now has Vale and Gizmon City merging in the process. And right on cue, the silhouette I fought the last time appeared yet again, except it didn't raise its weapon at me.

"I see that you have returned to this world, Ruby Rose," the silhouette started. "It seems that you have followed my advice during the crisis back on Earth. You are indeed ready to face the challenges Fate has lined up."

Fate has another challenge for me to deal with? I know I was involved with the crisis with Shadow Hunter and his creations, but now he's telling me that there is more? Has coming to Earth actually trigger a series of events for me to deal with?

"It seems that my appearance has you concerned, is it not," the silhouette asked, grabbing my attention again. "I'll have you know that your fate was sealed the moment you were born. You chose your path of becoming the worlds' guardian without realizing it, starting with your choice of becoming a Huntress. Now look at you: an aspiring student of Beacon Academy and the second youngest to become a Spartan."

"The second youngest," I questioned the unknown. "Then who is the first youngest to become a Spartan?"

"That would be your brother, Chris Hunter," the silhouette answered, continuing what it was about to say. "Are you aware of Desperado's existence in the world of Remnant? They will stop at nothing to achieve their ultimate goal: the conversion of all life into Cyborgs. Hell, their head researcher, Exavolt, lives to create them."

Where have I heard that name before? From what Chris told me, Exavolt was responsible for causing every single war to happen. From the global wars Earth went through to the Human-Covenant war, Exavolt was orchestrating everything. If he's here with Desperado, then this is something I have to deal with.

"Excuse me, but why are you telling me this if you're not going to fight," I asked, realizing that the silhouette hasn't made a move. "From what Cyclos told me, you were supposed to fight everyone who appears in the dream world."

"That may be true for first timers," it told me. "However, when a human being appears in this realm once again, then I will only offer information on what's to come. Seeing as how you came here for the third time, it is the least I can do. Just be warned though: the Winds of Destruction are only getting started."

And with that said, my vision was engulfed in a bright white light, and I return to the real world.

* * *

**Neo POV**

**Shooting Grounds, Beacon Academy**

**11:27 A.M.**

**December 8****th**

"Do you think Ruby will be ok? I mean, she did just pass out on her breakfast. Do you think she caught a nasty bug?"

It has been a few hours since Ruby, Chris' sister, passed out while we were talking about Desperado. I'm not sure if it was just the lack of sleep or if it was some sort of sickness, but I can tell that he wasn't worried. What kind of brother doesn't worry about his sibling if she could be in danger? I was questioning this when he was firing some rifle into the range.

"Relax Neo," Chris told me. "From what I have looked at, it seemed that Ruby's sub conscience travelled to the Valley of Dreams. This sort of thing happens on Earth all the time, so I'm guessing Ruby will be getting first class access to all the info we are looking into."

"Did this happen before though? I'm just saying that you need to look over her."

"Listen Neo, from what I can tell, she might have travelled to the Valley of Dreams back on Earth," he said, reloading one of the rifles he has. "I have a feeling that she went there back on November 26th, when she lost an eye to the Reapers. That trip may have caused her to find the Spirit dwelling in her weapon now, since Crescent Rose and Crescent Blaze happens to change forms now."

"You seem to know about all of this while I was away, Chris. Can you tell me what happened while I was missing?"

"Well, Humanity finally ended the war with the Arachnids when I was 6, and I was there on the front lines," Chris explained. "After that, the Federation dissolved, but I was able to reform the UNSC from the ground up. While it was growing, I was involved in many wars since then, with one of them costing me both my arm and my eye. Thankfully, I was able to get some prosthetics before I bled out, and that was when the Spartan Program began."

So Chris was involved in war ever since he was a kid? I feel bad for him, knowing how much war can take away from a person. It may have taken dad from us as well, since he was a general of the Federation. But if he has lost so much, then why is he still going strong?

"And then Bellerephon, one of many medical companies established on Earth, developed the Immorta Drug, a substance that can prevent a person from dying from old age. The only downside of this is that a person has to take one Immorta every 750 years. Despite that, they can still die from bloodshed or illness. Now, if you're wondering what year Earth is on now, it is 4021."

"That far ahead? Does that mean that we're the only ones left from the Federation," I asked, waiting to hear his next answer.

"Neo, the only ones left from the Federation are you, me, Ruby and mom. Other than that, everyone else is gone. I'm sorry Neo."

If I know Chris, it's that he's always telling the truth. I could never take it upon myself to calling him a liar, and if I did, I wouldn't live with myself anymore. However, hearing about Spirits living on Earth caused me to remember someone from our past, who fought on the front lines with only a katana. If he had a Spirit, then maybe Chris has one as well. I was deep in thought when the sound of his rifle ended.

"Hey Neo, I just remembered something," Chris spoke up to me, getting my attention. "If the UNSC is coming here to Remnant, then maybe they found a way for us to go back to Earth. Maybe one day, I could… you know, give you a tour of Gizmon City."

"Are you kidding me," I asked with a surprised expression. "I would be happy to go on the tour. But, are sure that your mom or Headmaster Ozpin will be ok with it?"

"They'll be ok with it. I'll just tell them that I have to write a report on what happened with Shadow Hunter, and they should let me go. That would be the right time for you to join me and go home. And also, I want to make sure that Pierce didn't do anything stupid, like set me up with Professor Murder-cat."

"Professor Murder-cat? I don't think I have heard of him," I said puzzled.

"Genki. There is a reality game show called 'Super Ethical Reality Climax,' and I was a contestant once. Pierce happened to set me up on that show one day, and I thought for sure that I was going to die."

"But you made it out ok, so don't worry about it," I told him, giving him a hug in the process. "And maybe you can introduce me to your friends while we're there."

"Maybe," he said. "It will depend on how long our visit will be. And to be on the safe side, we'll have to get you some new clothes. The White Fang will recognize you with the clothes you have right now."

We both made an arrangement to go to Earth after the 10th, seeing as how he is expecting the _Nightshadow_ to make an appearance. He may or may not know this, but I see this arrangement as a date. Now, I have to wait for the right moment to tell him how I truly feel about him, and I hope he feels the same way.

* * *

**A/N: Why is it that I keep missing my Saturday deadlines and upload on Sundays? Maybe it was because I finally came back home on Friday and had a friend over for the weekend. Still, I have to say, I am finally done with writing the chapter. And for any followers of 'The Reaper of Grimm,' I have to say that it is on Hiatus until I see my roommate in Ottawa again. So until then, 'The Reaper of Grimm' won't be updated for now.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	8. 8: Fire Against Ice

**A/N: Chapter 8 is now here, and I figure I might as well bring in another fight for the series. Naming this chapter was more difficult for me, so I had the help of both Caden Goff and Kira of Darkness. The title will feature Mr. Schnee, whose first name will be Arcturus in this fic. Nobody knows what Weiss' father's true name is, so a whole bunch has been thrown out there, so I might as well add one too.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Beacon Courtyard, Beacon Academy**

**7:11 A.M**

**December 9****th**

I may not know what's going on, but I have a strange feeling that something is about to go wrong. When I woke up after seeing Neo sleeping in my bed again, I quietly changed into my Spartan armor and went out for a morning walk. Normally, the sky was crystal clear with the sun rising in the sky, but today had a whole fleet of ships setting shop near the academy. From the way they looked, it had to be a military strike team from somewhere else.

I was minding my own business throughout the morning, scanning the fleet that arrived earlier today. From what I was able to gather, the fleet apparently belongs to the Atlas military, and that both its General and one of their clients are coming here. The General himself also happens to be a headmaster of his own academy back at Atlas, but he seems more focused on his military career. I was getting more information when I was joined by Weiss herself.

"Well, well, well, the Cold Spartan has decided to grace me with her presence," I joked as she got closer, causing her to give me a cold stare. "I was kidding. So, what can I do for you, Weiss?"

Letting out a sigh, the white haired Huntress sat down beside me, starting a conversation between us. "Well, if you must know, my father has shown up here. I have a feeling that he is going to be, in your words, 'fucking pissed off.' No doubt he'll try to take me back to Atlas."

"Why the hell would he do that Weiss," I questioned her, surprised to hear her drop the f-bomb. "Exactly what kind of father is he anyways?"

"One that will get what he wants," she answered with a hint of hatred in her voice. "Back when I was at Atlas, he'll do whatever it takes to make the Faunus suffer, from the horrible working conditions to the exile of some of the Faunus sympathisers. No matter what I do, I can't escape his control."

"Weiss, you may have dealt with an asshole like that in the past, but you can't let him control your future," I paused to place my hand on her shoulder. "You made the choice to become a Huntress here on Remnant, as well as accept the augmentations of the Spartan Program. If you're afraid of what he'll do, then you have to fight him to get your freedom."

She just looks at me, surprised to hear me try to be encouraging. I know I have dealt with a lot of assholes in my line of work, and that includes power hungry corporate owners like Vogel and TK. Taking on Weiss' father wouldn't be a good idea if I was just a normal guy, but as a UNSC Sky Marshal, I know I can wipe the floor with the guy. However, despite all that he did, he's still Weiss' father, so I'll leave it to her to decide his fate.

"Is that what you think, boy?" We both turned around to see a middle aged man, whose features include a muscular body, silver hair slicked back, and penetrating blue eyes. His attire consisted of a silver-blue business outfit with the snowflake emblem embedded on the flaps of the jacket. I have to guess that he is Weiss' father.

"So, you must be the bastard that controlled Weiss' life," I asked the intimidating figure. "I have to say, you have got to be the worst father on the face of the planet."

"Hold your tongue, you small peasant," the man shouted out, causing me to give him a death glare. "Weiss, you will explain to me why you disappeared for a month, and I don't want to hear any excuses."

"Well… I, um…" Weiss started to speak, only for me to interrupt her and talk some sense into the guy.

"Ok, first of all, I am not some peasant that you can order around. Second of all, your daughter has been on a job from Beacon for a whole month. You want to know where? Her assignment took her to where I'm from: Planet Earth. Not only did she become a Spartan, but she also happened to have killed her shadow. So if you dare say one negative thing towards her, I will personally send you straight to hell, where Shadow Schnee will be waiting."

The look on his face was priceless. After my little outburst, the older Schnee was insulted at how I talked back freely against him. I guess he was more used to having people talking when they were told to, but I proved him wrong on my own. His expression changed from shocked to rage as he drew out a rapier from his side. At that moment, his rage completely consumed him, and he began to strike.

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Dark-Greymon's Classroom, Beacon Academy**

**7:36 A.M.**

**December 9****th**

"Thanks for the help there Ruby. I never thought that you would deliver a functional Azure Behemoth monster for me."

It has been a few days since the White Fang attack on Vale that I was finally able to bring in a Bio-Weapon for Dark-Greymon. I know that I shouldn't have done that, since there was the risk of it reactivating and tearing the whole academy apart. Luckily, Dark-Greymon himself happens to be a bio-weapon, so he might be able to subdue it quickly than we could.

I elected myself to help Dark-Greymon with gathering the information and resources for his upcoming classes. It was actually weird that my prosthetic eye is displaying every detail on the monsters living on Earth, and I caught a glimpse of some Spirit-turned monsters as well. I did hear that if a Spirit were to lose a wielder, it begins its transition into a monster until it was killed. It doesn't mean the end of the Spirit, as the monster leaves behind a crystal needed to revive it and move on to the next wielder. With the information needed, I passed the data along over to the Bio-weapon.

"It was no problem. I'm just surprised to get the monster inside the classroom," I said exhausted. "You need anything else Dark-Greymon?"

"No, that should be everything," the Bio-weapon answered, sorting out the stacks of papers for his classes. "You know, you shouldn't have to waste your time with this former warmonger. Don't you want to spend some time with your friends?"

"No, everyone else has plans for the day. Blake is taking Yang out for dinner, Jaune finally asked Pyrrha out on a date, Nora is probably dragging Ren for 'sloth hunting' and team CFVY is currently in charge of CRDL's supervision."

"But what about that visiting team that you guys know," Dark-Greymon added. "I think the team name was SSSN? They were led by some guy named Sun Wukong."

"I haven't seen them for a whole month. I think they're still under the impression that we're still missing."

Before we could continue our conversation, an explosion was heard outside the academy. Any and all students that heard it rush over to the scene, while I heard chatter about what had caused it. I decided to run over to see what's going on, running by Coco and her team.

"Hey, do you know what's going on here," I asked, catching up to CFVY.

"There is a fight happening right now," Velvet, Yatsuhashi's partner and teammate responded. "It seems that it's between your brother and Arcturus Schnee, head of the Schnee Dust Company."

Dammit Chris, why did you have to pick a fight with Weiss' dad? I know that he wasn't the most well-liked person on Remnant, but fighting him is just asking you to get either killed or shipped of over the Schnee Quarry. Then again, I did hear that he took out one of Ultor's previous head of development, so this might be easy for my brother. Just to make sure he's not overdoing things, I rushed over to where the fight was, hoping that I didn't miss a thing.

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Beacon Courtyard, Beacon Academy**

**8:01 A.M.**

**December 9****th**

"Well, it looks like we drew quite a crowd, Mr. Schnee. This would be the perfect chance to show everyone that you're a stuck up prick with a stick up his ass."

I decided to have a little fun with Weiss's father first, having Neo send a message to the entire school grounds. From the first year students to Ozzie himself, I want everyone to see the humiliation that I'm about to bring to the bastard. He told me that it was a waste of time, but fights between two powerful figures deserves to have a crowd.

"Why must you waste my time with this needless provocation," Mr. Schnee spoke up, ignoring the crowd's whispering. "We both know that a peasant like you will lose to me."

"Is that what you really think," I asked the bastard, arming myself with my Pyro Brawlers and going for the melee approach. "Cause I have a feeling that you're going down. Besides, you never heard of the Blazing Dragon until now."

The air went silent after I spoke to him, allowing him to draw out his own weapon again. Unsurprisingly, Schnee's rapier was similar to Weiss', only it's a longer blade. I never liked having to rely on a rapier, as I am more of a 'slice first, ask questions later' kind of guy. Still, I have to give credit to Weiss, since she was able to enhance her fighting style after her ordeal with Shadow Schnee.

We both waited at both ends of the courtyard, looking over where to strike first. Then it all went pretty fast, as Schnee dashed towards me with the blade in front. I was able to dodge it easily, which only forced the man to try again. Overtime, he kept trying to stab me with his weapon, and the crowd began to stare at awe over how I'm making this fight difficult for him.

"Why don't you just stand there," Schnee ordered, getting frustrated over me avoiding his blows. "It will surely be over with me as the victor."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I faked an apology, getting into a fighting stance. "I thought for sure you were hitting flies. Why don't I educate you on how to fight properly."

I dashed forward towards my opponent, starting my set of attacks with a Demon Fist. The resulting shockwave sent Schnee back a bit, which I used to my advantage with a Flare Bomb up close. Despite the artes I'm unleashing, the bastard was able to keep his stance, even if it's not a perfect one. Desperate, he plunged the rapier into the ground causing my surroundings to be engulfed in ice. I didn't move quickly enough, as the ice managed to seal my feet.

"Well boy, this match's victor has already been decided," Schnee spoke up, raising his rapier from the ground. "Are you ready to concede defeat, peasant, or shall I send you to the Schnee Quarry for the rest of your life?"

"Really? Man, you can't be that stupid if you think you won. STEEL!"

Flames began to flow out of my body, being directed over to where my feet were. He made the grave mistake of trapping me with ice, as it completely melts when it makes contact with fire. Now free from my cold embrace, I dashed towards him again, having Helios convert into katana mode and catching him by surprise.

"You have a lot to learn Mr. Schnee," I told him, closing the gap between us. "That you have no control over any life."

With that said, I finished him off with a well-placed roundhouse kick in the face, knocking him down on the ground. If I know anything, it's that most CEO's tend to be a lot weaker than what they put on. Despite that, Weiss' father stood his ground for the majority of the fight. Walking over to him, I placed my blade close to his head.

"You have to understand, Schnee," I told him as he looked me in the eyes. "The only life you have in control is your own. You don't have the luxury to force Weiss into a decision she can make on her own." I lowered my katana and dispersed it back into flames, while still keeping my gaze on him. "She chose to go to Earth for a month. She chose to go along with the Spartan Program. Hell, she even made the choice to kill Shadow Schnee on the 26th. If you think you can force her back in Atlas, then you clearly need a harsh reminder."

What came next happened in a blink of an eye, as the old man suddenly plunged his rapier in my left shoulder. I dropped down in pain, only to see the bastard get up and moved the tip of his rapier near my neck. A little word of advice: make sure to keep an opponent's blade away from them.

"I told you that the victor was decided, peasant," Schnee spat out at me. "You were very wrong about that saying. I do have control over everyone, and that includes you. So be a good boy, and prepare yourself for the Schnee Quarry." He withdrew his weapon and started to walk away. "Ironwood, prepare this vermin for transport. I will be bringing him and Weiss back to Atlas."

That saying pushed me into the edge, and before I know it, I activated my trump card: The full Bestial Chromatus. My Spartan armor was replaced by the Chromatus plating, while my features took on an appearance of a Dragon. When Schnee took a look at me, his eyes widen in fear of what's to come. Out of desperation, he lunged his weapon straight at me, only for me to swat it out of his hand in an instant.

"You really are a fool, old man," I said to him in a menacing tone. "What did I tell about controlling people's lives? You think you can just send me over to the mines in an instant? I could just kill you right here, right now." I slowly back up a bit before continuing. "But, I will leave your fate up to Weiss. Only she has that choice."

I began to walk away from Weiss' father, making my way back towards the academy. I did stop on the way to tell Weiss that it's up to her, allowing her to go up to him. I was just about halfway back inside when my Chromatus decided to disperse, causing me fall over exhausted. Luckily, Neo was there to catch me, guiding me towards the dorms.

Man, I'm lucky to have someone like her caring for me.

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Grand Canyon, Arizona**

**20:01 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 9****th****, 4021**

After days of research and development, the UNSC, Hunter's military forces, have ultimately prepared the _Nightshadow_ and a small contingent of Frigates and CCS class cruisers for the travel between worlds. Lieutenant Commander Omega was stationed at the Grand Canyon with the Obelisks and Stetmann, where he learns on how to connect Earth and Remnant completely by using the Spirit Origin. He knows that the _Nightshadow_ will be going over to establish relations, but UNSC protocol dictates that it must be escorted by a small fleet. Omega chose to stay behind on Earth while the UNSC-Covenant forces make their final preparations to move on to Remnant.

"Yo, Omega," the bot was greeted by Glitch, Lt. Commander of the Goliaths. "I see that you're staying behind on this metal rock. Don't want to see what the other world is like?"

"That really isn't my thing, Droid," Omega spoke back, quickly annoyed by his fellow officer's attitude. "You Goliaths jumped at the chance to go to this 'Remnant' place, despite the damages you sustained."

"Hey, a wild Cerberus wouldn't keep me away, so why would any damages stop me?" The question was met by a cold stare from Glitch's fellow bot. "Look, my bro Hunter happens to be on a strange world inhabited with confirmed Catalyst readings. I took it upon myself to look at the footage of Grimm that his sister gave me, and it proves that Shadow Hunter was right. We're not just dealing with feral bio-weapons, but also refugee Catalysts from the Fractured Dimensions."

"But I thought Origin's Trial was over," Omega brought up. "As far as I know, that should mean that any Catalysts that remained must have been destroyed. Why would Shadow Hunter drag them over to the Prime Dimension, and convert them into Grimm?"

"That's what I'm about to find out. Luckily, their numbers are decreasing rapidly thanks to the bio-weapons, but they still pose a threat." Glitch paused to look at the gathered fleet. "We're sure going to leave a big impression. The _Nightshadow_ would have been fine, but you know how protocol works."

Omega only nodded in agreement to the Goliath squad leader, leaving him behind and walked towards the scientists. He knew that a conversation with Glitch would take forever to finish, unless he was assigned on hunting down the remains of Exavolt's legacy. As for the increase in bio-weapons, the Obelisk leader believes that it may be the work of a PMC. Pushing those thoughts aside, he made his way over to Stetmann, who is configurating a formula to transfer mana over to the storm.

"Is everything all set over here Stetmann? Is the storm all set for the fleet?"

"Everything is going according to schedule, Lt. Commander," the egghead assured the bot. "Origin was willing to use his power to not only connect the two worlds, but also restore the flow of time in the other world. My guess is that Remnant may be in a fractured state. The UNSC-Covenant Fleet should be able to pass through no problem."

"Alright, that means I have to send out a message again." Omega began to patch himself to the network, bypassing the security systems and reaching the network closest to the Sky Marshal. "Attention natives of the other world, this is Lieutenant Commander Omega of the UNSC. I would like to remind you that the UNSC-Covenant Flagship _Nightshadow_ will arrive in your airspace in 1200 hours. Do not shoot them down, as we have the experience to deal with your bio-weapon infestation and… your Grimm situation. If any of you wish to reply, do so right away." There was a small moment of silence, until the bot got a reply.

"_Omega, this is Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy. I am here with General James Ironwood and Professor Glynda Goodwitch. I would like to inform you that your Sky Marshal, Chris Hunter, is currently enrolled here as one of my students. Please note that he did this out of his own free will, as he has shown exceptional combat skills with his weapons. If your fleet were to arrive tomorrow at 12:00 P.M., then inform the fleet commander to meet us at Beacon Academy. I will be waiting for them along with the General and the Sky Marshal, along with my best student Ruby Rose._"

"Understood, Ozpin," Omega replied back. "I will inform Lord Cyclos of this information, along with Lieutenant Commander Glitch Hunter of the Goliaths and Commander Musubi of Spartan Noble Team. Give my regards to Spartan Ruby-177 for looking out for her brother."

"_I will. I look forward to reaching out to the people of Earth._"

The line went dead after Ozpin said his last sentence, and Omega quickly disconnected himself from the network. He knew he has a lot of work to do, but now he knows that the people of the other world are willing to meet. Organizing the data he acquired from Ozpin, Omega quickly made haste to the _Nightshadow_'s bridge, intending on giving Cyclos the coordinates of Beacon Academy.

* * *

**A/N: GOD DAMMIT, THIS CHAPTER WAS WAY OVERDUE. It was supposed to be out on the 2****nd**** of this month, but due to me being back home, working and catching up to my gaming took over. I may have to look into my release schedule and figure out a way to keep pumping out chapters, but for the time being, it will be released at random. Before I do the chapter of when the **_**Nightshadow**_** appears in the skies of Vale, I will need to do a chapter on just Chris Hunter and Neo. Whether it is them getting to know each other again or a full on smut, I want it to be set before the **_**Nightshadow**_**'s arrival.**

**I would also like to point out that Chris Hunter made an appearance in Shadow Nightblade's "The Snow Fox's Struggle," but he will have a different back story on that one. I truly recommend checking that story out for those that don't know it at all.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	9. 9: Reacquainted

**A/N: Ok, seeing as how I was exhausted from work one night (working from 4 P.M. to 1 A.M. is not fun), I believe that I have to get a chapter out as soon as possible. For this chapter, I'll try and have Neo and Chris reacquaint themselves to each other, and depending on the length, maybe end it with a smut. Maybe throw in a scene with Summer getting a message from the Covenant.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Neo POV**

**RWBY Dorm, Beacon Academy**

**5:21 P.M.**

**December 9****th**

It was pretty crazy over what Chris did towards Arcturus Schnee, and everyone has already started talking about it. From how he challenged the SDC CEO to a fight to how he changed into that dragon ting, he has become the talk of the whole academy. I'm glad that someone taught Arcturus not to control people's lives, but it did leave him exhausted. Luckily, I was there to catch him, so I decided to look out for him for the rest of the day.

I had the honor of dragging him back to where the dorm room was, after going through a Q&amp;A session from the professors. From what I had learned, what Chris did to the elder Schnee was something called a Chromatus, and his was of the bestial variety. He told us that aside from wielding a Spirit in his weapons, he was given this power from a being called Chronos, the Great Spirit of time. I don't know anything about Spirits, but from what he told us, it seemed that they are common back home on Earth. After telling us everything, he had me walk him back to where RWBY's room was.

After arriving at the room itself, I set Chris down on where his bed was, which apparently was at the corner. I had no problems looking out for him, but not seeing him for thirteen years on Remnant made me forget most about him. To top it off, he said that Earth is now on its 41st century, meaning everyone I loved has passed away. Still, he is here with me, so I am grateful for that.

"So Chris," I started a new conversation. "Seeing as how it's been years since we last saw each other, don't you think its ok to reacquaint ourselves? I mean, we do know each other, but we don't know much about us."

"I think I know what you mean," he answered back. "I mean, we don't know each other's occupations, our hobbies. Hell, we don't even know our interests." He paused to sit straight on his bed. "Since it is your idea, I think you should go first."

"Well, if you say so." I start gathering up my thoughts, knowing that I should start at the most clichéd part. "Well, my name is Neo Hazard, but I went by Neo Politan here on Remnant. I was born on May 9th, 1995, and was raised by the United Citizen's Federation. When I came here, I was taken in by Roman Torchwick, eventually learning the perks of being an assassin."

I took a minute to catch my breath, knowing that I have a lot of things to talk about. I know that sooner or later, I will have to confess my feelings for him. While I was trying to piece together more information, Chris took that as a sign to go ahead with his re-introduction.

"Alright, now it's my turn. Ok, my name is Chris Hunter, and I go by a lot of things. 'The Demon of Hellfire,' 'The Burning One,' and my favorite: 'The Blazing Dragon.' I was born on August 31st, 1995, and like you, was raised by the Federation. When I turned 6, I signed up to fight in the front lines, eventually being there at the end of the Human-Bug war."

We kept going on with our conversation, from our childhood over to our current times. I did learn that after the Federation dissolved, he went on to recreating the UNSC, eventually gaining the trust of humans and any sentient life out in space. He also told me that thanks to the advancements in this 'Robotechnology,' colonies were being established on newly discovered planets. We then went on to what made us laugh, which he told me about how a friend of his has a fear of a fifty-foot tall soda can. Time went on as we got to know each other better, and Chris suddenly started to yawn out of control.

"I'm sorry Neo, but I'm starting to get tired," he said as he yawned again. "I'm going to change into something more comfortable. Being in my Spartan armor all day puts a lot of stress on my shoulders."

I can understand what he was trying to say. There are days when I need to change my outfit into something more comfortable, which are preferably a tank top and short shorts. When I saw him taking off his armor, I took it as my cue to leave. It was just then when I opened the door that Chris told me something I'll never forget.

"You know, I'm really happy to see you again Neo. You mean a lot to me, so I can't stand the thought of losing you again."

Hearing him say that really got to me and it had me thinking as I close the door. Am I that truly important to him that he would say that? Does this mean that I actually have a chance at love? As I stood there, I realized that my feelings towards him were honest. I walked over to JNPR's room to change into something more comfortable, thinking of going back and being with him for the rest of the night.

"Chris, you may or may not know this," I said as I opened the door to JNPR's dorm. "But you mean a lot to me too. Chris Hunter, I love you."

* * *

**Summer Rose POV**

**Teacher's Lounge, Beacon Academy**

**8:41 P.M.**

**December 9****th**

"Ok, going over the notes, it seems that CRDL shows no desire in learning artes. I guess I have… have to… ACHOO."

Jeez, this was the first time I have ever sneezed in a long time, and I have no idea as to what caused it. Maybe I was running a cold without me knowing? No, it couldn't be that. Still, my little outburst grabbed the attention of one particular Bio-weapon.

"Are you ok Summer," Dark-Greymon asked. "Did you end up catching a cold while working the kids?"

"Uh no, it's not that. It's just that…" I quickly realized what that sneeze meant, causing me to give out a sly grin. "Actually, it is nothing Dark-Greymon. I'm fine now."

The ex-Covenant member just shrugged it off and walked back over to his desk. If I only had one sneeze, it has to be a sign that something may happen soon. Switching over to the security camera footage of outside her kids' dorm, she saw and heard Neo saying that she loves Chris.

"Neo, you have grown into quite a woman," I said as I saw her go into a room. "You know you don't need my blessing to be with him, Neo Hazard."

* * *

**Neo POV**

**RWBY Dorm, Beacon Academy**

**9:01 P.M.**

**December 9****th**

After changing my attire into my tank top and short shorts, I went back into the room Chris was staying in to keep him company. However, I never anticipated him being passed out, as I saw him sleeping soundly on his bed. Still, I was able to make out his features more clearly, and I never thought that he was built. His chest and abs looked like that were refined over the years, and his muscles are well toned. What surprised me was that his right arm appears to be a prosthetic, and its design looks like the forearm would be a dragon's head.

I got closer to him the more I look at him, and without any warning, I began to lie down on his bed. He told me that I shouldn't be doing this anymore, seeing as how everyone else will get the wrong idea. Despite that, I still laid down beside him, intending on spending another night with the one I love. I began to move my fingers on his many scars, wondering how he ended up with them in the first place. As my curiosity got the better of me, I placed my fingers on the scar at his left eye, only to retreat it when memories started to flood in my head.

"What the hell," I almost shouted out, only to say it in a whisper so I don't wake him up. I never had that happen before, so making sure it was the last time, I touch his scar once again. This time, the memories came to me a lot steadier. The memories themselves weren't mine, so they have to be Chris'. To my surprise, this particular memory depicted a younger Chris Hunter struggling against a powerful monster.

"_Well Chris Hunter,_" The monster talked, freaking me out in the process. "_You know what happens to little boys when they interfere with my plans._"

The monster then proceeded to slice off his arm, causing Chris to scream out in pain. It didn't stop there, as the monster rolled him onto his back and sliced his eye out. The memory then transitioned over to when he was going through an operation where he got his prosthetic arm and eye. I couldn't believe that Chris, the man that I loved, could have endured those trials at such a young age. The memories ended right after the artificial limbs were attached, and I'm starting to feel sorry for not being there for him when he needed me.

"Chris, I had no idea that you were near death's door," I said to his sleeping form. "Listen, I'm going to help you using the one way I think might help. Please, don't wake up when I'm doing it."

**(A/N: LEMON ALERT. LEMON ALERT.)**

I slowly began to take off the pieces of clothing that were on me, starting with the tank top. I am a little embarrassed about what I was able to do, but I figure that Chris needs anything that would ease his pain. After removing the final piece of clothing that were my bra and panties, my naked form slowly began to cuddle up to the male.

I then proceeded to undoing his pants, eventually taking them off entirely. Without hesitating, I placed my hand in his boxers to get a feel of his member. It was just starting to get erect, so I slowly started moving my hand in a slow pattern until it became fully erect. Satisfied, I pulled down his boxers to get a sight of his member standing tall.

"Wow, it looks so big," I thought to myself as I examined it. Before I went any further, I looked over to see if Chris was awake. To my enlightenment, he was still fast asleep, probably dreaming about something he likes. Taking it as a go, I moved my head closer to his member, and eventually started to lick it. Not getting a response from the sleeping male, I kept licking it until I covered it with my mouth. I know I won't be going back, so I started to move my head up and down, massaging his stick with my mouth and tongue. I kept up with the motion for a few minutes or so, and I started to massage my own core. Without warning, his member reached its climax, spurting out semen into my mouth. I removed my head off of it and swallowed his seed, taking in the salty taste it delivers.

"Wow Chris, thank you for the delicious meal," I said to his sleeping form. "However, you finished before I did, so I'm going to put it in."

I slowly adjusted my lower body to match his, making sure that the tip of his member is underneath my core. I then descended my body so that my spot could touch, and eventually engulfed his stick. Descending further, I started to feel the pain from it penetrating and breaking my hymen, taking away my virginity in the process. I didn't care though, as I always wanted Chris to be my first and only love to take it. When the pain finally subsided, I instantly started to rock my lower body, massaging his member with my womb.

"Oh my… Oh dust, it feels so good," I whispered out in pleasure as my core continues to massage it. As I rocked back and forth faster, the pleasure in it increased, causing me to moan out. I kept it loud enough so that it didn't wake Chris up, knowing that he might freak out over what I'm doing. The rocking movement was later replaced as I started to move up and down, keeping the massaged member standing tall in my womb.

"Oh… fuck, I think… I think I'm gonna cum," I said again as the pleasure increased. I kept the movement going faster as I said that, until finally, we both climaxed at the same time. His member spurted out a second load of semen inside of me, and I stopped moving my lower body in conjunction. The pleasure was unlike anything I ever had, and I'm glad to have experience it. Fully satisfied, I slowly removed my core off his member, which was starting to go limp, and saw the extra semen pouring out. Blood was mixed in with his seed on his rod, which was a sign that my virginity was no more.

"There, we both finished at the same time," I said to his sleeping form again. "Let me get cleaned up and fix you right up."

I went over to the bathroom to wipe off any excess semen dripping out of my core, making sure to get every last drop of it. Wiping my lower lips to my full satisfaction, I stepped out to wipe his member down, leaving no blood behind. I then threw out the wipes in the garbage and, making sure not to wake him up, slowly adjusted his boxers and pants back on. I then began to put my own articles of clothing back on, ending it with a struggle with my tank top.

**(A/N: Ok, Lemon's over)**

Now with everything that I did was over, I climbed back into his bed and positioned my body till it was close to his. Chris wouldn't know about what I did, seeing as how he was still passed out since I came back in the room. Still, I hoped that it somewhat help relieve some the stress that he built up. Moving my head closer to his face, I ended my night by giving him a passionate kiss on the lips, saying goodnight to him one more time before passing out for the rest of the night.

* * *

**Third Person POV**

_**Nightshadow **_**Bridge, above the Grand Canyon**

**9:55 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 10****th****, 4021**

The moment of truth has almost arrived, and the _Nightshadow_ and its fellow ships stand in the airspace of the Grand Canyon Outpost. Cyclos, Lord of the Covenant, gave his consent to lead a small contingent of the fleet on a few missions: Locate Chris Hunter, make contact with the other world's inhabitants, and deal with the Bio-weapon infestation. Along with the fleet, the Covenant big shot chose the Spartan Noble Team and Glitch's Goliaths as the squads to accompany him. He was in the bridge of the _Nightshadow_ to get the latest reports.

"Helmsman, what is the status of the ship's preparation," Cyclos asked one of the ship's attendants.

"We are at 99% Complete on all systems," the helmsman replied back. "Protoculture engines are fully heated, while the mana levels are all green for our weapons systems."

"Good. Dr. Louie Nichols, what has the main fleet chosen to be our escort?"

A different helmsman, a man with a strange set of binoculars, replied this time. "Sir, on the UNSC side, the Frigates Grafton, Savannah, and the Forward Unto Dawn have offered their services. As far as fighters are concerned, both Veritech squadrons Wolf and Skull will be with us. On the Covenant side, CCS cruisers Shadows of Intent, Truth and Reconciliation and the Naomi's Sorrow will be joining us, along with Seraph teams Omicron and Sigma."

The Sanghelli leader nodded in satisfaction, knowing that that was his original idea. Going into Remnant was one of Cyclos' many goals to establish international peace, especially after finally accepting his new rule shortly after the Human-Covenant war. Going over the reports one more time, he activated his comm and sent a message to the gathered fleet.

"Attention soldiers of both UNSC and Covenant forces, this is Lord Cyclos," he began his speech. "As I'm sure you're all aware, on December 3rd last week, we have lost the signal of Sky Marshal Hunter, Zodiac Warrior Dark-Greymon, Spectre Summer Rose and Spartan team RWBY. Well, as of now, we are going to an uncharted planet, which may have found or heard of Earth's existence. We are all gathered here to leave an impression on the world's people, but we have a few important goals. First off is the retrieval of Sky Marshal Hunter, followed by the Bio-weapon extermination and peace accords with the world's government. We were all chosen by the United Council to represent Earth and her colonies. In the words Hunter says with his Saints, "It's our time now, so let's get this shit started." he shut off the comms as he heard cheering in the other ships, focusing my attention to the display presented to him. "Helmsman, when the clock strikes twelve, send the word that we're going in."

Cyclos received an aye-aye from the front of the bridge, and since he was satisfied, slowly left the Bridge of the _Nightshadow_. He stopped in front of the doors to give off one more saying.

"Hang in there Hunter. The cavalry is on its way, so you better not get killed."

* * *

**A/N: Wow, I never thought I would finish this chapter early. Still, I feel like there was a need to keep pumping out chapters that may or may not get a review. But I do like to point out that in the beginning A/N, I did say that I was going to include the smut moment depending on the length of the first part, and I did. It may not be as detailed as all the other M rated stories where they go in depth, but this was my first time writing one. Plus, you can't have an M-rated story without a smut moment or two. And since I wanted it to focus on Chris Hunter and Neo, that's what I came up with.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	10. 10: Nightshadow

**A/N: Finally, the moment of truth has arrived: the appearance of the UNSC-Covenant fleet on Remnant. I did say that the **_**Nightshadow**_** will have a part in the story, as it currently acts as a bridge to the peace accords of both Earth and Remnant. I will at some point have some of the characters take a tour of the flagship, along with finishing the romance between Neo and Hunter.**

**Oh, and to answer a reviewer's question, knight6831, Ozpin is a mysterious character. He could have implanted the camera on Ruby when she went to take on Beowolves on the day she went to Earth.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Summer Rose POV**

**En-Route to Headmaster's Office, Beacon Academy**

**11:01 A.M.**

**December 10****th**

The day has finally arrived: UNSC and Covenant forces will be showing up on Remnant's doorstep at any moment. I have mixed feelings about all of this, drawing out the pros and cons of the fleet arriving. On the plus side, they would be able to handle the Grimm and the feral bio-weapons on the loose, and possibly establish a meeting between the council and Earth's President. But then there are the cons, where the Atlas military will attempt to attack visiting fleet. Still, I have a feeling that either Chris or Lord Cyclos can stop that from happening.

I was pretty much on my way over to Ozpin's office after getting a message on my phone. Apparently, he wants my family, Dark-Greymon and Neo to witness the _Nightshadow_'s arrival, and maybe take him on a tour of the flagship. If Ironwood is with him, then I have no doubt that he will go all 'sparkly-eyed' when he sees the fleet. I was just about to reach the elevator when I ran into a familiar ice cream themed girl.

"Oh, Neo, I never thought I'd see you here," I said to her, grabbing her attention. "Are you also heading over to the Headmaster's Office too?"

"Of course I am, Miss Rose," she replied back in honesty. "Do you think that Chris is in trouble?"

"No, of course not. And you can drop the formalities," saying that ease the girl a bit. "I think it has to do with the fact that a fleet from Earth is on its way. Ozpin happens to know about how Earth operates, along with the existence of Spirits."

Neo nodded her head in agreement, even though she hasn't been on Earth for two millennia. But to her, it has only been thirteen years, so I can't really blame her. Once we both got on to the elevator, I know that it will take a while to reach Ozpin's office. I figure this was the perfect time to have fun with the girl.

"So, how was your night with Chris," I ask with a sly grin, causing the girl to blush. "I bet it went exactly as you planned, am I right?"

"Wha—what are you talking about? Nothing happened between me and Chris last night."

"Oh come on, you can tell me Neo," I told her, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. "We're both girls here, so you have nothing to hide. Plus, I heard you say 'Chris Hunter, I love you' last night. It's better if you come clean, so spill the details."

Neo pretty much stuttered at the point, trying to cover up her night with an excuse, but she finally gave and spoke up. "Ok, you win. Chris and I were pretty much catching up, getting to know each other from scratch. We then talked about a lot of things until he was getting tired, so I left the room while he changed, switched over to my night clothes, and returned to stay with him."

"But did you do 'it' though?" I received a nod of approval from her. "I see. Neo, be honest with me. Do you love him with all of your heart?" I gained another nod of approval. "Then be honest to him. Tell him how you truly feel, and tell him any secrets that you feel comfortable telling. You don't need my blessing to be with him, seeing as he grew up without me around."

"He grew up without you looking over him," I was asked by her, so I gave her a nod. "I guess he grew up without us. I mean, you're his mom and I'm his childhood friend, and yet we never saw what sort of ordeals he went through. Though, before I did 'it,' I happened to witness one of his memories."

That part certainly piqued my interest. Memory Share was one of the many artes that only Spirits can perform, and the only Spirit Chris has is Helios, the Dragon of Everlasting Flames. If Neo here witnessed one of his memories, then the Dragon Spirit saw the need to reveal that information to her. Curious enough, I signalled Neo to continue.

"Well, it was a little hazy, but it gave me a clear picture of how he got his prosthetic arm and eye. It seemed that, when he was young, like around twelve years old, he was fighting a monster that spoke. It said 'you know what happens to little boys when they interfere with my plans,' and then… it cut off his arm… and then it… sliced his eye out."

As she brought up how Chris got injured, tears have started to flow down on her face, causing her to break down. I lowered myself to comfort the girl, rubbing her back and calming her down. Everyone breaks down when they witness a life changing moment, and for Neo, it was the fact that she saw Chris' battle with Shadow Lugia, the monster responsible for taking his arm and eye. When she finally calmed down, the elevator door opened to Ozpin's office, where Chris, Ruby and Dark-Greymon were waiting, along with the Headmaster sitting at his desk. To make matters worse, even James Ironwood was there.

"Neo, Summer, I'm glad that you two have made it here on time," the head professor said to us. "I guess you are all wondering why I called you over to my office. Well, I am going to inform you that in a few minutes, a small portion of your fleet will be arriving. I believe that the flagship was… the UNSC-Covenant _Nightshadow_. Luckily, I have told James to hold his forces. We don't want to cause a war between Earth and Remnant now, do we?"

"Of course, I am still a little skeptical about Earth's technology," Ironwood added. "As far as I'm concerned, technology has always been powered by dust. Despite that, I will give your fleet a benefit of a doubt."

Before any of us could get a say, we noticed that the storm clouds at the Emerald Forest have started to spiral. Bolts of lightning flashed in a quick succession, and before we know it, a large flagship appeared in the skies. It wasn't the only one, as frigates and CCS cruisers were seen beside the massive airship. Even when I served the Covenant as one of Tosh's Spectres, I never saw a flagship of that size before.

"Great, that's classic UNSC protocol for you," Chris said as the fleet fully materialized, causing all of us to look at him. "When a UNSC Sky Marshal, me, goes missing, the army sends out Reconnaissance fleets to look for them. I am surprised to see the _Nightshadow_ escorted by a mix fleet, despite them being two different armies."

Everyone was in a state of awe and shock when observing the visiting air fleet, but Ruby was going crazy over the sight. Knowing her, she's probably looking forward to seeing the weapon systems on those things. What surprised me was that Ironwood was having the same reaction as my daughter. Then again, seeing airships that looked a lot more advanced than Atlas' has to leave an impression.

"Well, seeing as you guys are ogling over the UNSC-Covenant fleet," Chris broke the silence, grabbing our attention again. "How about I give you a tour of the _Nightshadow_? I'll be sure to show you as much as I can, without revealing any of our military secrets."

* * *

**Neo POV**

_**Nightshadow**_** Hanger, above the skies of Emerald Forest**

**12:41 P.M.**

**December 10****th**

The view from Headmaster Ozpin's office was great and all, but I never would have guessed that this ship was MASSIVE. Chris told me that the Covenant was one of the four powerful military forces where we came from, along with the UNSC and two others. I guess that whoever's leading the Covenant did a damn good job at financing the ship's development, while still maintaining their fleet. But the interior of this ship was a whole different story.

Chris was able to call the _Nightshadow_ before we showed up, giving us clearance to fly a Bullhead into one of the hangars. From what I saw, there was a large mix of aliens maintaining the ship's systems, as well as passing their time with any activity. However, as we walk pass them, they all stopped what they're doing and saluted us. I guess it's because Chris was walking with us, giving us the tour.

"This place is absolutely HUGE," Ruby said in complete awe as we left the hangar. "I bet you that the weapons it packs have to be super powerful."

"You can say that again sis," Chris spoke up as he led us through the ship. "The _Nightshadow _is fully equipped with a large array of missile batteries and plasma turrets. Since the UNSC has the SDF-1 _Macross_ as its powerful flagship, you can call the _Nightshadow_ the best ship the Covenant has to offer. The only downside is that it's not equipped with a glass beam, so it is always shown with the Covenant armada."

"I am actually curious as to why there are a multitude of strange aliens wondering around with humans," the Headmaster decided to chip in on the conversation. "Can you tell me why, Chris Hunter?"

"Of course. The humans you see here on this ship are actually UNSC personnel that offered to help the Covenant. As for the aliens themselves, the Covenant acts as more as an alliance of species bent on one ideal: to excavate and preserve 'holy artifacts.' We eventually learned that the artifacts they worship were not 'holy relics,' but in fact remnants of the Forerunner's technology and weapon systems. Nowadays, the Covenant has an active hand in locating any Forerunner installation in the hopes of shutting them down and set them up for colonization."

"I see," Ozpin told himself while rubbing his chin. "And tell me, can you name the species that makes up the Covenant?"

"I'll do what I can." Chris slowly gathered up his thoughts on the explanation. "The little guys you see around us are called Unggoy, but we just call them grunts. The reptilians with the shields are the Kig'Yar, most commonly known as Jackals. The big ape guys are the Jiralhanae, but you can just call them Brutes. Then the most prominent group you see," he paused to point out a group of aliens training with plasma blade weaponry, "are known as the Sanghelli, the Elites."

"Now I want you to tell me something," this time, the general decided to ask a question. "You say your world doesn't have Dust to power your technology. Can you tell me what you use instead?"

"I'm glad you asked me that, Ironwood," Chris replied back while facing forward. "As far as vehicles and everyday appliances are concerned, the constant supply of mana coming from Earth's core acts as a power source. That doesn't apply to military tech, since they are based on something I like to call 'Robotechnology.' Because of that, all military related tech has to be powered by Protoculture."

He continued to give his explanations to us as the tour continued on, answering questions that we have along the way. I was more focused on taking in my surroundings, and I have to say that the _Nightshadow_ would top anything that Atlas has right now. From the armory to the cafeteria, I saw that everyone there, both human and Covenant, were having fun. As we got close to the bridge though, we ended up stopping as Chris just stood there.

"Hey, is everything alright," I asked him. "Did something happen that we should know?"

My questions were immediately answered as I saw what he was looking at. Right in front of us was a heavily armored alien, and I can make out a large sword on his back. Its attire is based on the samurai royal guard, only it was reformatted to look more 'modern.' It also looks a lot different than the others we saw, so I have to guess that he's the top dog on this ship. Without any warning, Chris decided to walk towards him.

"Wait Chris, what are you…" I never got to finish what I was about to say as Chris clenched his hand into a fist. The alien followed that motion at the same time, and before I know it, both of them started throwing punches at each other's faces. None of them even bothered to dodge them as they kept landing their own blows. Then out of nowhere, as they were about to land one more hit, they loosened their fists and collided their hands, grinning at each other.

"Chris Hunter," the alien spoke up. "I see that you haven't lost your edge."

"Nor have you Cyclos," Chris said back. "Then again, we always have this routine when we meet up."

"Indeed we do." The alien, Cyclos, then released his grip on him and walked towards the headmaster. "And you must be this 'Headmaster Ozpin.' I was informed to meet you at your academy when I arrive. It would seem that I won't have to now."

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Lord Cyclos," the professor spoke towards the Covenant leader, motioning his hand towards General Ironwood. "This man with me here is James Ironwood, the general of the Atlas military. I would like it if you were to continue our tour, leaving Chris to tend to his friends and family here on your vessel."

The alien nodded in agreement and motioned them to follow, leaving Chris to tend to Summer and myself. Dark-Greymon already took Ruby over to someplace else, thinking that she might like the weapons the Covenant may have. If it was just me and Chris, then I would have told him how I feel towards him. When Summer nudged me to tell him now, I walked towards him to reveal them, only for someone else to interrupt.

"YO, HUNTER," I looked over and saw a robot walking towards us. "It's about time that we found you. Where the hell have you been buddy?"

"Glitch, you son of a bitch," Chris greeted the robot. "You know me, always causing shit wherever I go. Though I have to say, I never thought I would see you here."

"Oh come on Hunter, you should know me by now. If you somehow went missing, I would jump at the chance to find you." The robot, Glitch, paused to look at me, leaning in closer to my face. "And who might you be my fair maiden? Name's Glitch Hunter, Delta Squad Leader."

"Oh… um," I was nervously put there on spot. "My name is… um…"

"What's wrong, my lovely angel?" Now it is flirting with me. "You can tell that I can treat women right. They are like delicate flowers that need to be tended with love. What do you say, milady?"

"Oh… sorry, but I'm not interested. You see… um," I held my breath to say what I always wanted to say. "I'M IN LOVE WITH CHRIS."

Everyone was shocked after hearing what I said, and I slowly felt embarrassed over the confession I have made. Well, from what I saw, Chris' eyes were shot wide open, Summer was nodding her head in satisfaction, and Glitch… well, let's just say that he was 'heartbroken? While I was trying to calm down from the confession, Glitch went over to him and started shaking him like a ragdoll.

"DAMMIT HUNTER, WHY ARE THE GIRLS ALWAYS INTO YOU," he shouted out in anger. "WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT I DON'T, HUH? TELL ME YOU SON OF A BITCH."

"I don't even know what you're talking about," Chris replied back.

"THEN TELL ME, WHY IS IT THAT THE GIRLS ENLISTED HAVE AN INTEREST IN YOU, ONLY FOR YOU TO TURN THEM DOWN?"

"It's because they weren't the girl I fell in love as a kid."

"THEN WHO IS," Glitch continued this interrogation, thinking he's at the end. "WHO IS THE GIRL YOU FELL IN LOVE WHEN YOU WERE A KID?"

"THAT GIRL WAS NEO," he shouted out the answer, shocking me with his confession. If that was true, then he must have had feelings for me when we grew up together. We probably just, never got to reveal them back then. When Glitch finally let go after hearing his outburst, I ran up and tackled him to the ground, engulfing him in a hug.

"Chris, you don't know what this means for me," I said happily as tears came from my eyes. Before I know it, I placed my lips on his, initiating a passionate kiss between us. At first he was shocked a bit, but then he slowly accepted it. We both kept the kiss going for a few minutes until we broke a way to get some air, with only a string of saliva connecting our tongues. Summer then took the time to grab our attention.

"So, uh, does this mean that you two are a thing now, or what?" We both nodded to answer her question. "Well then, I guess I won't be needed anymore. I have already screwed up being a love councilor, and I don't want to screw up your chance at love. I'll let you two go at it."

Summer left the two of us as we broke off the hug, dragging Glitch the playbot away to give us some peace. I looked back at Chris to initiate another kiss, only for him to start it first. I was a little startled over it, but then I slowly returned the kiss, adding a little foreplay with our tongues. As I was enjoying it, he broke off the kiss to look into my eyes.

"Neo, I'm glad to finally be with you," he said with a genuine smile. "I love you, even when we were kids."

"I feel the same way," I replied back with a smile of my own. "I love you too, Chris Hunter." We then placed our lips on each other for one more kiss for the day.

* * *

**A/N: Well, Chris Hunter and Neo Hazard are now officially a couple. How will team RWBY handle this piece of news?**

**Lately, I have been seeing Neo artwork on the net, and I have to say that she is now sharing my Favorite Character spot with Ruby Rose. I haven't uploaded my profile to show it, but I guess I started to develop an interest on the ice cream girl. Now, I haven't forgotten about the antagonists of this story, as Desperado will appear in later chapters. What I can tell you is that the next chapter will be a brief appearance of Cinder, Mercury and Emerald, causing Neo to tell the truth about them. From Cinder's plot (whatever it is), her connection to the Cyborgs to her arrest, I think I have it all figured out. Now, I plan on making these longer, meaning more chapters for Remnant Crisis than Change of Existence.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	11. 11: The Cinders Fall

**A/N: Another chapter has come to your viewing eyes, and I feel like I should do some explaining on what I have planned for future chapters. I'm pretty much winging the planning stages, but I was considering having the first and second year teams go to Earth for a few weeks field trip. And seeing as how the current month they are in is December, I may have them celebrate the holidays there. Like I said, I'm winging the planning.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Cafeteria, Beacon Academy**

**7:55 A.M.**

**December 13****th**

Everything happened in a blink of an eye, and I can't tell what is going on anymore. To start off, Chris and Neo are now officially a couple, the UNSC-Covenant fleet made their appearance here on Remnant, and now Cyclos is finishing his peace talks with the kingdoms' councils. I never dreamed that this would happen months before, but after going to Earth, staying there for a month, and facing some of its monsters can change an opinion. Still, the biggest news about Chris and Neo made me think about one thing: now mom won't try to hook me up with my own brother. And to think this all happened three days ago.

I was pretty much enjoying breakfast with my team and JNPR, along with my brother, his girlfriend Neo, and strangely Glitch, a robot who constantly calls Chris 'bro.' Nora was pretty much having her large stack of pancakes with too much maple syrup, Ren was eating a balanced breakfast, and Jaune and Pyrrha were having the same thing: chocolate chip waffles. On my team, Weiss was seen having a Caesar salad, Blake was eating a tuna sandwich, Yang was stuffing herself with Pancakes that Nora offered, while I decided to have a small plate of my favorite food: strawberries.

"And then out of nowhere," Nora said, describing one of her many dreams. "As Ren and I killed off a whole den of Beowolves—"

"They were Ursai," Ren corrected her.

"—All of a sudden, a big, fiery bear appeared out of nowhere, with a bright yellow glow from the fur on its back," Nora continued on. "It wasn't a Creature of Grimm, as the bear's skin was a crimson red color. Its claws were similar to its back fur, and looked like they can slice through rocks clean. Luckily, with one perfect shot from Magnhild, I killed it with a grenade shot to its head."

"Nora, did you actually have a dream where you instantly killed a Blaze Claw," Chris asked her in surprise, only to have Ren reply back in Nora's place.

"She's been having dreams like that for days since our lessons from Professor Greymon's classes. They still have the encounters with the Creatures of Grimm, but now they have those monsters he's been showing us. Last time, it was a 'golden frog that can use magic,' then it turned into 'a mix of a bird and a pterodactyl with teal skin."

"So basically, Nora had dreams where she killed the Fortune Stepper and a Pterobronc respectively. Geez, it makes you want to fight them for real huh?" Chris asked Nora, who nodded like crazy. "Well I can tell you that they don't die from a single hit."

"You're speaking as if you encountered them," Pyrrha pointed out.

"Well that's because I was the one who got info on those monsters. Let me tell you, they are more than a challenge. I remember one time I took on Pterobronc, a whole Siege Tank division was entirely wiped out from its attacks."

"Oh I remember that day bro," Glitch pitched in on the conversation. "Valerian was absolutely pissed when he learned that only you survived. All your proceeds on that job were taken away to rebuild those tanks from scratch."

I tuned out of their conversation to focus on my breakfast. Sure, strawberries themselves are normally seen as a snack, but the amount I eat is similar to a normal breakfast setting of eggs, bacon and toast. I looked back over and saw that everyone was still talking about monsters from Earth, mostly on the subject of a dragon made completely out of ice. However, I saw Neo looking nervous, with her eyes pointed away from the table.

"Neo, what's wrong," I asked her. "Is there something bothering you?"

"Oh, uhh…" she staggered at the unexpected questions. "N-n-no, everything's o-ok. Just a little distracted is all."

"She's been looking at those three for a while," Glitch interrupted us, pointing at a far table. I looked over and understood what he meant by that. At that table was a silver-grey haired man, a dark skinned woman with green hair, and an ivory black haired lady. When I saw them, I instantly recognized them.

"Oh, it's those transfer students from Haven Academy," I pointed out. "I think their names are… Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai, and Cinder Fall."

At the mention of their names, Neo instantly started to freak out. We all turned our heads to see what was wrong, only to hear her muttering curses. I looked back at the table only to see the transfers leave the cafeteria, with Cinder giving us one quick look before departing. With them gone, I walked over to Neo and rubbed her back.

"Neo, what the hell was that all about," Chris asked his shaken up girlfriend. "Have you actually known them before hand?"

"You said that they were transfers," she asked me, to which I nodded. "So that's their cover. Ruby, Chris, those guys are not actually students." She looked up towards us, with her eyes going white. "Those guys… are Desperado's clients."

* * *

**A few hours later**

_**Nightshadow**_** Briefing Room**

"Ok, so you're telling us that those three 'transfers' are responsible for making a contract with one of Earth's dangerous PMCs? Well that explains why those bio-weapons are on the loose."

I was surprised to hear that Cinder, Emerald and Mercury were involved with Desperado, making a contract between them and the White Fang. I knew the Faunus terrorist group were bad news, but add in a few bio-weapons and Cyborg's and you got yourself an incoming war. The news was fortunately passed on to Headmaster Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch, and they asked Chris to help deal with the situation. He brought Cyclos and Glitch up to speed on what happened a week ago.

"Well, I have gone through the Haven Academy archives," Glitch said to us. "There were no records of a Cinder Fall, Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai. I'm afraid that Neo is right."

"So we got agents from the White Fang with connections to Desperado," Chris spoke up. "We're going to need to draw out information from them, but they might put up a fight."

"I know how they fight," Neo added in, typing in the holo-keyboard as if she knew it for years. "First off is their, and I quote you Chris, 'head honcho,' Cinder Fall. She's a Pyromaniac, who can conjure up flames in her hands. She weaved Fire Dust into her clothing to gain that advantage. Then there is Mercury, who pretty much fights like a kickboxer. I don't know much about him, but he outfitted himself with a pair of shotgun greaves. His extra firepower comes from his feet, and his kicks are deadly. Finally, there is Emerald, who wields a pair of kusarigama pistols."

"Well now that we know, I think we better take them down the least way they would expect," Glitch brought up. "Neo, you said they were there to evaluate which students to take out, right? If they're doing that right now, we can send in a strike team and arrest them on the spot."

I never knew that Glitch had this side of him. I always thought that he was more of a playbot who has an interest in girls. Now, I am seeing him as a tactician, planning the potential arrest of the fake transfer students. I guess that's why he was made squad leader of the UNSC's Delta squad, the Goliaths. I was pulled away from my thoughts as Chris said something to me.

"Ruby, you know where they are currently bunked, right?" I nodded to his question. "Alright then, relay that information over to Noble Team. Glitch, let Musubi know that she's got an assignment."

"Already on it sir," the robot replied back, running out of the room.

"Neo, I want you to go with them. I have a feeling that they may question how we know of their plans."

Neo agreed to do what Chris asked her to do, knowing that she's severed her connections to Cinder and her friends. It must be hard to betray them like that, but Neo is making herself better by being with us. I'm not sure about Yang though, seeing as she still holds a grudge towards the ice cream themed girl. I know she'll get over it eventually.

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Cinder's Dorm, Beacon Academy**

**11:51 A.M.**

**December 13****th**

"And then we have Ruby Rose, the small leader of Team RWBY. Apparently her semblance is speed, and she's strong with the scythe."

Cinder Fall, master manipulator and leader of the White Fang, was going over the information of all of Beacon's students with her compatriots. Ever since the Breach months ago, she was annoyed to start her plans all over again. Luckily, help arrived in the form of Cyborgs from Desperado Enforcement Llc., who offered bio-weapons to ease their minds. Right now, she had Emerald, master thief, look over the files on all the students again, where she's currently looking over a certain crimson head's file.

"Interesting," Cinder said seductively. "The little rose has been given a powerful position. It won't take long for her to break, and when she's powerless, that's when I'll make my move."

"There's something else that you should know Cinder," Mercury added. "It turns out that in little over a month ago, she was able to master the katana. I don't know what brought this on, but I have a feeling that it's due to the new student."

"Pray tell Mercury, who is this new student you speak of?"

Mercury grabbed the scroll off of Emerald's hands and began his analysis. "This student is Chris Hunter, newly appointed member of Team RWBY. Apparently he is a master of the twin katana, a greave and gauntlet combo and a naginata. Along with that, he also has the ability to control and manipulate fire. It isn't listed as his semblance though."

As she started thinking about what that meant, Cinder and the others heard knocking coming from their door. Mercury got up to answer it, only to receive a fist in the face. Both women got up to see what caused this, only to see a heavily armored soldier walk in. The armor wasn't Atlas military, so they assumed that the soldier was from a different army.

"Cinder Fall," the armored soldier spoke up, sounding feminine. "You are hereby under arrest for the acts of Intrusion, Deception and contact with Desperado. Under UNSC orders, I am here to take you to the _Nightshadow,_ where you'll spend time in the brig."

Emerald waste no time getting ready for a fight, as she drew out her kusarigamas to take out the soldier. She whipped the kusarigama towards the intruder with the intent to kill, only to have the opponent grab it with her hand. The soldier wasted no time whipping the weapon back, forcing Emerald to fall forward to her face. In an instant, the soldier punched her right in the nose, knocking her out.

"Make no mistake Cinder," the soldier said after taking out Emerald. "You don't want to add assaulting a Spartan Commander to your list of crimes."

"Interesting," Cinder said seductively. "I have to wonder, who was it that told you all about me?"

Right on cue, the Spartan moved aside to reveal Neo, Cinder's former assassin. The ivory black haired woman never thought she would see her along with the soldier, no less actually selling her out. Cinder slowly began to flare up when she was suddenly knocked down on her feet. She looked behind to see who caused it, only to see another soldier with a skull etched on his helmet. That was the last thing she took in terms of sight, as the 'Skull Spartan" knocked her out with the butt of his shotgun.

"Good work Emile," the first Spartan said. "Take those three over to the _Nightshadow_ for some questioning. They're going to tell us what Desperado is up to."

"Yes ma'am," was all she heard as the Skull Spartan, Emile, cuffed the three intruders and escorted them out of the building. Letting out a sigh of relief, she took off her helmet, revealing herself as a young brunette in her early twenties. Her hair was cut to be hime-styled, with her hip long hair tied in a ponytail. She took one more look at Neo, giving her thanks.

"Good job leading us to them miss. Without you, those three would have continued their plans." She placed her hand on Neo's shoulder. "Never forget that you are family now. Being Hunter's girlfriend already makes you a sister to me and the UNSC as well."

"Oh um, thank you, Commander Musubi."

Musubi then placed her helmet back on before heading out, leaving Neo behind on her own. Neo never knew that the UNSC treats its members as a family, but she always thought of Chris as a family to her. Hell, she practically grew up with him as a kid. She started to walk back towards where Chris was, only to realise the umbrella in her possession. Seeing it only reminds her of her dark past, so she took it and threw it out in the dispensary.

"Sorry Roman," she said after getting rid of her old weapon. "But this way, you won't haunt me ever again. I'm starting my new life as Neo Hazard, so Neo Politan is dead."

* * *

**Warehouse District, Vale Docks**

**1:49 P.M.**

It has been a few days since they had contact with Cinder and her two servants, and Roman was getting restless. Not only did he learn that Neo betrayed them to be with those from Earth, but he also knows that either Cinder or the bio-weapons will kill him. He was no stranger to failure, as most of the times he gets away with just a small beating from Mercury. Now, he was getting worried on how he'll die.

Roman was walking around one of the storages they 'obtained' to store their 'acquired' Dust and Atlesian Paladins. He wasn't alone, as the Bull Faunus Adam and the White Fang brute, Bane was sitting near one of their plans. Adam had continued serving Cinder in the hopes of finding and taking back Blake Belladonna. Bane on the other hand, enjoyed his occupation, knowing that he'll get to kill a member of the Schnee family sooner or later.

"Quit walking around like an idiot, human," Adam said to the criminal, annoyed by his constant walking. "You can't expect them to contact us at any time. Operations like hers need preparations."

"You don't get it," Roman shouted back. "You two aren't the ones who has a death wish. How did I not know that Neo would betray us, just for Dragon-boy to sweep her away? And to make things worse, it's revealed that she was an Earthborn, a human that could sell us out at any moment."

"You're just blowing things out of proportion," Bane told him. "We never knew until it was too late. We're all hanging on a thread at this moment Torchwick."

"Oh, how would you know Bane?" the ginger then looked at the crates of Dust. "I was the one who found her thirteen years ago. Instead of killing her on the spot, I took her in. I taught her how to fight, and steal, and kill just to get what we want." He then looks back at the two Faunus. "If it weren't for me, Neo would have been Beowolf chow by now."

Before any of them would object, the doors to the warehouse suddenly opened. They all thought that Cinder has returned, only to see both Sundowner and Monsoon of Desperado. Adam and Bane slowly reached out for their weapons, but Roman casually walked over to the Cyborgs.

"Ahh, Sundowner and Monsoon. To what do I owe the plea—" he was suddenly cut off as Monsoon threw his arm and stabbed him with his sai. Roman never saw it coming, only to see the Cyborg detach his body and hurl the pieces towards the man. Both Adam and Bane watched in horror as their associate was brutally torn apart by Monsoon's barrage, leaving behind nothing but an unrecognizable corpse. The Cyborg then reconnected his body through the magnets in the pieces, cracking his neck to ensure a successful connection.

"Sorry Roman," Sundowner said, examining the bloody corpse. "But I already told you what happens to failures. Your friend, 'Neo Politan' was revealed to be 'Neo Hazard,' a daughter of the Federation's General Richard 'Chip' Hazard. Because of your fucking ignorance, she reunited with that bastard Hunter. The only way to clean up this little 'screw up' was to kill you."

Adam, fearing that they would do the same, unsheathed Wilt from Blush. He then went to strike Monsoon first, only to cut nothing from air. Monsoon, separating his body at the right time, avoided the killing blow from the Bull Faunus before injecting him with a serum. Bane followed Adam's lead and tried to cut the Cyborg in half, only to be injected by the same serum Adam suffered. With them staggered, Monsoon tipped them with his finger, satisfied to see them unconscious on the cold floor.

"Adam Taurus and Bane," he said to their sleeping forms. "You have definitely proved your worth to us. You will ultimately serve our cause, as we convert you into Cyborgs. Consider this a blessing from our creator himself."

With that said, Monsoon willingly backed away as more Cyborgs arrived. He directed them to take the two unconscious Faunus back to their base of operations, along with burning Roman's corpse. Knowing that his job here is complete, he walked over to Sundowner, who was talking to his fellow Wind of Destruction.

"Alright… I understand… tell him that we'll have everything set up for Phase three… I see… If you want to go to Earth to have fun, then go ahead… Yeah, talk to you soon." The bald cyborg then hung up. "Mistral's heading over to Earth for some down time. That means her preparations are complete. Monsoon, get everything set up on our end."

"It will be done," Monsoon told his boss, giving him a large smirk in the process. He was glad that their plans are moving along fine now, but knew that he has to speed things along. Because of Neo and Hunter reuniting, their chances of achieving their goals have now become slim. Despite that, he planned ahead to convert both Adam and Bane into Cyborgs, along with upgrading their weapons. With everything in sight, he gave one last look at Beacon Academy and the _Nightshadow_, fully awaiting the bloodshed that's about to come.

* * *

**A/N: Unlike the other ones that took about a week to type up, I have already played out the picture of how this chapter should be. I'm probably going to get some comments on how Cinder lost so easily, but let me tell you that she never encountered the Spartans until now. Now, as far as the Halo fans (or critics) are concerned, Carter was the commander of Noble Team, but I figure it was time for someone else. Musubi took that role, so she's Noble-1 now. As for her appearance, she wear's Carter's armor, while maintaining her hairstyle from Sekirei.**

**Also, I have been thinking about the field trip arc of this story, and I feel like it needs some help. One portion of it will be the tournament, where Mistral will make her next appearance. However, I am reaching out to you guys for help. If you have a suggestion as to what the cast will do on Earth, send it via review as I do check them every single day.**

**With that in mind, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	12. 12: Trip to Earth

**A/N: Alright, I think I should clarify why I have both Sundowner and Monsoon appear at the end of last chapter. I did clarify that Desperado will be the main antagonists of this story, so Torchwick, Cinder and the White Fang are only minor here. However, I do plan on having Adam and the White Fang Lieutenant appear later as Cyborgs. As for naming the Lieutenant, he just seemed to be more of a Bane to me. Now, as of now, this chapter will initiate the field trip arc of the story, so if you have any suggestions, send it via review. I do check them every day, so feel free to leave an idea.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Auditorium, Beacon Academy**

**8:31 A.M.**

**December 15****th**

Everything calmed down after the whole 'Cinder sneaking into Beacon' fiasco, and I think that maybe we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, Professor Goodwitch was annoyed to hear that a Spartan punched through and destroyed a door, so she pretty much scolded Chris for that. It wasn't even him that destroyed it, but a Spartan named Musubi. It took Neo and Glitch to explain the situation more clearly until the instructor calmed down. After all of that, everything winded down.

Ozpin called all first and second years to attend an announcement here at the auditorium, and it made me wonder what it is. Strangely, Chris wasn't with us when we got the message. Pushing that aside, I had my team get ready for what it was about, only arriving a few minutes early. The other teams slowly came in after us, including my friends' teams JNPR and CVFY. We were all getting together when we heard a familiar voice.

"Well hey, if it isn't our favorite buds of team RWBY," we looked behind to see Sun, a fellow team leader of SSSN. "I didn't know you guys came back into town. Where have you guys been?"

"Sun, why are you here," Blake asked out of confusion. "Shouldn't you be back at Haven right now?"

"You didn't get the memo, Blake?" he received a nod from her. "I filed in some paperwork to officially transfer to Beacon with my team. As of yesterday, team SSSN is now a Beacon team."

"So basically, he means that we'll get to hang out all the time now," another familiar voice popped up behind Sun, only to belong to Neptune. "That has to be pretty cool, right?"

Our conversation was cut short as I heard someone tampering with the microphone. I looked over to see Professor Goodwitch checking the audio, making sure that it sounds right. To my surprise, Chris was behind the professor in his Spartan Armor, standing between mom and Dark-Greymon. I'm not sure why he's there, unless it was about the whole 'Spartan breaking the door' thing. I was still in thought as Goodwitch made her announcement.

"Thank you all for coming. As I am sure you're all aware, in little over a month ago, one of our finest teams had disappeared without a trace. That team was none other than RWBY." Everyone looked at me and my team as she continued. "What you don't know, is that RWBY did not just disappear, but teleported to an entirely different world where no Dust was present. Chris, I leave it to you to explain."

She stepped aside and motioned for my brother to continue. "Thanks Glynda. The world she was telling you about… It's my home, Earth." A screenshot of Earth was seen on the screen. "Earth is where I came from. It is a planet that was once blessed with nature." He then pressed a button to depict Earth now, showing it with what looked like space stations. "And that's what it looks like now. A planet so far advanced in terms of technology. As Glynda explained, we don't use dust, something I like to call 'Robotechnology.' It's because of it that we're able to colonize other planets far beyond our reach."

Everyone was at awe over what Earth looked like, wondering how he was able to get a screenshot of the whole planet. Some of them were wondering if they are in a small world, while others couldn't believe that a whole society can survive in outer space. I was still in awe over the sight of Earth's space stations, thinking about how much it would have cost them. We were all in our own little worlds as Chris continued.

"Now, what all of you don't know is that Ozpin decided that the first and second years are to go to Earth for a few weeks. To make things fair, he asked Professors Goodwitch, Rose and Greymon to come along as supervision. That doesn't mean that you'll be going everywhere on the planet, but only a few select locations." He then pressed a button to reveal a screenshot of a familiar golden skyscraper. "Since I will be coming along due to my connections, you will be staying in select rooms at Saints Tower. The only team that gets the privilege of staying at the building's penthouse will be RWBY." He turned off the screen to give us one last piece of information. "Now, in order to get to Earth, the UNSC frigate _Grafton_ has offered its services to escort us back to my home. Just be warned that you will have to follow Earth's rules, so don't do anything fucking stupid."

So we're going back to Earth for a few weeks? Upon hearing this, I immediately got excited to see all of my friends back there. From Mr. Pierce to Johnny Gat, I can't wait to surprise them all. Plus, it would give me the chance to introduce them to my friends from Remnant. I was picturing many scenarios I could get Jaune into when Professor Goodwitch took the mic.

"Now, seeing as how everyone is mostly prepared, I have called the _Grafton _ahead of time. It is currently docked at the Bullhead landing pad waiting for us right now, so I suggest heading there right away."

With that being said, she stepped down from the podium and walked towards the exit. Luckily, all we had on us currently are our weapons, but the only thing we didn't have on us are the bare essentials. Despite that, we all headed out to the landing pad, where a big airship was waiting for us. We were in awe when we're walking towards it, taking in the size of the ship. It wasn't as big as the _Nightshadow_, but it was still impressive. As we walked closer to the massive frigate, its landing bays opened up, leading us to its hanger bays.

"So Ruby, you ready to see the Saints again," Chris said as he caught up to us. "I bet you were pretty excited, huh?"

"You have no idea how, Chris," I answered him with a large smile. "But do you think you can set up rooms for the teams?"

"Relax, I have that covered. Once we cross over to the Grand Canyon, I'll give the tower a call. I have to figure out which room Neo can have though."

"Why? Can't she just stay in the penthouse with us?"

"If she does, I'm taking the couch," He said with a straight face as we walked into the hanger. "Now, I'm heading over to the bridge to talk to the captain. Make sure to keep everyone satisfied."

"Yeah, no problem," I told him, getting a nod back from him before leaving. Chris has a duty to fulfill as a UNSC Sky Marshal, so going to the bridge is probably one of those duties. What I saw next concerned me, as I saw Neo following him, only a few feet behind him. I couldn't question her actions when the _Grafton _lifted from the ground, heading towards a growing cluster of storm clouds. All I know is that this better be safer than the last two times.

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**En-Route to **_**Grafton**_** Bridge**

**10:48 A.M.**

**December 15****th**

I left Ruby in charge of all the first and second years Beacon had to offer. It was a small group consisting of five teams, so that gives me some ideas to who I should send to supervise. Having Glynda come along was Ozpin's choice for the trip, but I have to make sure to make her unwind on Earth. She seemed too stressed with the workload back at Beacon, so she could use a beer or two. I was neck deep in thought about this until I heard a set of footprints getting closer, giving me an idea as to who it was.

"I know you're following me Neo," I said to the person behind me. "You're not very good at the stealth aspect."

"Aww, you had to go ruin my fun," Neo said as she ran up to my side, giving me a smile. "You never could tell that I was behind you before. What brought on this change?"

"A lot can happen when you've been at war for years." I only gained a saddened face from hearing that, so I wrapped my arm around her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Well, you can make up for it by taking me clothes shopping on Earth," she brought up. "You did promise me, didn't you?"

I nodded in agreement, knowing that she was right. I stopped for a second to get her attention. When she saw what I was doing, she walked back towards me, only to have me lean forward and gave her a kiss. She was surprised at first until she gave in and returned it, wrapping her arms around my neck. We kept it going for a few more seconds until the comm delivered a message.

"_Attention all passengers and crew members of the UNSC _Grafton_, this is the captain speaking. Entry at the storm will commence in a few minutes. I repeat, entry at the storm will commence in a few minutes._"

"I guess we better get going to the bridge then," I said after the announcement. "Since you're here, wanna come with me?"

Neo nodded happily to my question, even go so far as to rush ahead of me. I am glad that I got to reveal my feelings to her, only to know that she feels the same way about me. I mean, we basically grew up with each other under the Federation's supervision. I had the sneaking suspicion that her father, General Hazard, knew about us and wanted Neo to be happy. Once we get back to Earth, I plan on taking her to his grave so that she can talk to her old man.

We continued to make our way towards the bridge of the _Grafton_, passing by every soldier that we saw. They all stopped what they were currently doing and saluted towards me, only for me to wave them off. It only took us a few minutes to reach the bridge, where the crew was heavily at work on their designated stations.

"Sky Marshal Hunter," the captain greeted me. "I'm so glad to see you unhurt. I trust that everything was handled well?"

"Of course it was, Jefferson," I replied back to the older man. "Are we all set to go to Earth?"

"Affirmative, sir. We're just about to hit the center of the storm."

True to his word, the view from the bridge gave us quite a sight. Right in front of the _Grafton_ was the center of the storm cloud concentration. Flashes of lightning were rampant in the clouds, and traces of a Great Spirit's power were felt in the strikes. The _Grafton_ continued its flight towards the storm, and I briefly saw a large cluster of lightning strikes coming towards the frigate. When the mana powered lightning struck the frigate, we took one last look over Beacon, only for the scenery to change into that of the Grand Canyon in a few seconds. Making sure that we're back at Earth, I took a look at the ground, taking in the view of a small UNSC camp with equipment.

"Travel complete sir," one of the helmsmen spoke up. "We are now in Earth airspace."

"That's good to hear," I said sighing. "Jefferson, you wouldn't happen to have a few birds on this frigate, right? Like, any Pelicans or Phantoms?"

"As a matter of fact, we have two Pelicans and one Phantom," the captain replied back. "Sir, what is it that you're asking us?"

"I'm just going to take them, load them up with the groups from Beacon, and fly over to Saints Tower. You guys can go ahead and return to Remnant."

Everyone stood up and saluted me as I turned to the door. As I was about to leave though, I looked back at Neo, who was in awe over what the Grand Canyon looks like now. I am aware that it has been thirteen years for her, but it was actually two millennia since she disappeared. I have a feeling that she'll slowly adjust to Earth again. I tapped her shoulder as she kept staring, grabbing her attention.

"Hey, you want to head over to my place," I asked her. "We're heading over to Saints Tower to stay for a few weeks."

Neo nodded happily over what I said, allowing me to show her out of the bridge. The _Grafton _did its job of bringing us, and a few Beacon teams over to Earth. I just hope that there is enough rooms for them to stay in.

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Saints Tower, Gizmon City**

**11:31 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 15****th****, 4021**

In a couple of hours, we have all started at the auditorium back at Beacon, and ended with a return trip back to Saints Tower. I was excited to see Mr. Pierce and the Saints after missing them for more than a week. They basically looked after my whole team during November, as well as taking out the Reapers and Shadow Hunter's copies of us. Of course there was a little drama during our stay then, but we quickly bonded and became somewhat of a family to them.

We all got off the rides the UNSC _Grafton_ had at the time, and it was pretty cool to see JNPR's faces when they took in the sights of Gizmon City up close and personal. As far as they knew, only Atlas was the highly advanced society they could ever go to, but that all changed today. Well, they'll be able to take in the scenery as the dropships unloaded the last of the teams onto the heliport. Chris, who was the first to get off, slowly walked over to the glass door, only to find it locked.

"Son of a bitch, the door is locked," my brother said in frustration. "I did send over a message saying I'm coming back, right? Why the hell is the door locked?"

Right after Chris said that, I can see Mr. Pierce inside, dancing around like a complete idiot. He wasn't happy with what the Saint was doing, so he went over to one of the chairs outside and dug out what looked like a TEK Z-10. We were all confused as to why he has an SMG, only to have our questions answered when he aimed it at the glass door. All sense of sanity was lost as he began firing the weapon at the door, shattering the glass and startling Mr. Pierce. Chris only fired a few bullets, but it was enough to get the Saint's attention.

"What the hell Boss, I was enjoying my moment." It took Mr. Pierce a while to realize what he said. "Wait, Boss? Oh shit, I didn't know you were coming back. If I did, I would have prepared the penthouse."

"Pierce, I left you a fucking message, didn't I," Chris asked unamused. "I was coming back with a few friends and left a message saying 'get some rooms ready.' From what I'm looking at, all you did was reinstall the stripper poles."

"Well, the poles themselves were a part of the penthouse atmosphere before. I don't see the problem with them coming back."

"Well I do," Mr. Pierce jumped over the voice of our mom, who happened to be looking at him with a death glare. "Pierce Washington, I never thought I would have to say this, but I'm going to have to get rid of them again."

The Saint let out a scream so loud, that it makes me wonder if he's actually a guy. Hearing mom's voice wasn't what Mr. Pierce would expect, and he didn't want to deal with her right away. Just the slightest mention of her name would send the guy into a running frenzy. He was able to calm down, only to face mom again.

"Summer," professor Goodwitch finally spoke up. "Maybe you can have this little talk later. Why don't you have this 'Pierce' set up the rooms for our teams?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Mr. Pierce stood in front of the combat instructor. "Who the fuck is this bitch in a cape, and why is she here with a bunch of kids?"

I stepped in front of the Saint in time to do the introductions. "Mr. Pierce, this is Professor Glynda Goodwitch of Beacon Academy, and all these 'kids' are some of the teams the school sent over."

"Yeah, but why are you telling me this, Ruby," he asked me. "Is there a reason why all these kids are here, other than to mess up our shit and ruin an upcoming party?"

"Pierce," Chris stepped in. "You have to get on setting up their rooms right away. Otherwise I'll tell the recording studios that you lost your voice in a… tragic accident. Oh, and get rid of the fucking stripper poles too while you're at it."

The Saint wasted no time getting ready to deal with the tasks he was given, going to the elevator to deal with the room set up. I looked back over to my brother, who wasted no time in going after the stripper poles with mom. And to think, he had them installed so that the Saints could unwind after a stressful day of their patrols. I then took one more look over towards the megatropolis, smiling over the fact that I'll get to stay on Earth for a while again.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter will be the party Pierce mentioned, only this time it will have the Beacon teams interacting with some of the Saints. It will focus on Chris and Neo once again, adding a few moments of Yang arm wrestling some of the Saints. I will do what I can to make the party chapter as long as possible, though I will need to read up on some references.**

**Like I said in the last chapter, I am looking for ideas for what the teams shall do during their time on Earth. Two things I have planned ahead will be Race day and the tournament held in Fortune City, but I am drawing up blanks on the rest. It can be from holiday related ideas to them touring any high tech facilities, just as long as I can take a look and picture the scenes. If you do have an idea, send it to me via reviews, as I check on them frequently a lot.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

**P.S. When I finish the Two Worlds arc, should I do a backstory fic on the Summer Rose that was depicted here, or not?**


	13. 13: Party at the Tower

**A/N: Like Pierce said in the last chapter, the tower will be having a party. However, the appearance of Hunter, Ruby and a few teams from Beacon Academy threw him off the loop, so he had to do a little set up to make it work.**

**Now, I did say that this chapter will focus on Neo and Hunter, and having it set at a party seemed like a good idea.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Dialga Mall, Gizmon City**

**2:11 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 15****th****, 4021**

He knew he wasn't fit to do grocery shopping, despite being asked by Pierce to do it. As far as he was concerned, he was still the most dangerous man to walk the streets of the city they look over. Everyone who heard his name knew the counts of murder he committed under the Saints' previous leadership until Chris Hunter took over. Even now, he thinks the statute of limitations should be closer to 250. Still, he has to get the things the Saints want for the party, and Johnny Gat is determined to keep his family entertained.

The gunslinger brought along a few of the boys to get the party essentials, from the food to the beer. Going to the Dialga Mall was the right move for him, as the holidays are right near the corner. It means that anything bought for parties and celebrations will be at 50% off, so he took the opportunity. He was going over everything he has so far when his phone started ringing, causing the man to pick it up.

"Pierce, what is it now," Gat asked, annoyed that he has to start over his count. "Don't you see that I'm trying to get the shit here? And before you ask, yes I do have the Saints Flow grape flavor."

"_Gat, the boss is here, and he has a bunch of kids from Remnant with him_," his fellow Saint shouted on the other end, sounding panicked at the same time. "_The worse thing is that crazy woman that is their mother is with them. They made me take out the stripper poles and set up rooms for the kids. I don't know what to do, so you have to help me._"

"Whoa, calm down there Pierce. I checked that message before I left, so I already know about the kids. Why do you think I'm still at the mall gathering party supplies."

"_So… does this mean that the party is still a go_," Pierce asked, confused over what Gat told him.

"Yes, the party is still a go. I need you to get out that barbeque for tonight. We're going to give those kids one hell of a night."

With that said, Johnny hung up on the other Saint as he went back to looking over his inventory. Stacks of premium cut hot dogs and fresh buns that coincide with them covered one half of his cart, while burgers occupy the other. Cases of drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, were covered underneath the food while snacks occupy the top. It was a good thing that he called Angel for a pickup truck; otherwise it would be a pain to walk all the supplies back to Saints Tower. He signalled his group to come back towards the veteran before delivering a message.

"Alright boys, our boss is back with the kids from Remnant. Grab all this shit, cause we're going back home." He finished before heading over to the truck, giving himself a smirk on his face. "Boss, you are going to enjoy tonight, I know it."

* * *

**Neo POV**

**Saints Tower, Gizmon City**

**21:01 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 15****th****, 4021**

I was in complete awe during my time back on Earth, believing the changes it endured over the course of two millennia. The city I'm currently staying at was believed to be the most advanced out of Earth's community. What really caught me off guard was the fact that there are floating platforms hovering above the city, with a thriving town on top. Then there was the moon, where it was a sphere of metal and neon lights instead of just an ordinary rock. It made me wonder about what happened to the old moon, but I wasn't going to ask right away.

Apparently, the Saints had been planning the party since Chris made the call to the tower. It was set up to be held both inside and outside the penthouse, allowing us to easily go in between and interact with the gang. I actually like the place to be honest, since I always wanted a home similar to the penthouse. It is a shame to see that Chris beat me to the punch on the rich household.

Anyways, the party that was planned out was really something. The Saints knew about the numbers that Beacon was sending and coordinated everything to make it work. They pretty much have a barbeque set up, where a purple clad gang member was grilling hot dogs and hamburgers. The pool that took up the outside was turned into a hot tub, where I see some of the girls relaxing their stiff bodies. Then there were the games, which apparently ranged from card games, feats of strength, to video games and board games. The music playing during the night seemed to be from the 1980's, which triggers memories of listening to them as a kid. I kept looking at the party itself when I was approached by one of the gang members.

"So, are you enjoying the party," I jerked my head to see a masked man walking towards me. "Don't worry; I'm not here to hurt you. My name is Angel de la Muerte, but you can just call me Angel."

"Neo. Neo Hazard," I introduced myself to the man with a smile. "As for the party, I am enjoying it. I never knew that you guys had this set up for us."

"Well it was all Gat's idea. He had all of us pitch in to make it a success. So Neo, is it true that you're dating our boss?"

I did a little spit take after hearing him ask me that. "Wha— where did you hear that from?"

"Weiss told me," the masked Saint bluntly stated. "She told me how out of nowhere, both of you guys announced your relationship. To be honest, we would never see the day where Hunter would actually get a girlfriend."

"Yeah, well I'm pretty much the same on that part," I joked a little, knowing that I can only see myself with Chris. "But I know that I'll make him happy. We both revealed our feelings towards each other days ago, and now we can't even stay apart."

Angel nodded in agreement before leaving me behind in my own thoughts, giving me the idea of seeing what my boyfriend is up to. I started to walking over to the inside of the penthouse, avoiding the chatting Beacon students and Saints alike in the process. There were even conversations about things I don't want the details on, so I pressed them aside as I made my way over. I kept going until I was in the living room, where I saw Chris playing some racing game with some punk kid in goth clothing. I was going to say hi, but a certain blonde came up in front of me out of nowhere.

"HEYA NEO, WHATCHA UP TO," Yang, the girl I usually refer to as Goldilocks, greeted me. "Don't care, cause you're coming to enjoy the hot tub with us girls."

I never had a chance to retort as she grabbed my wrist and dragged me over to the washroom. I don't know her deal, but when we got in, she took out what looked like a two piece bikini. I wanted to say that I wasn't interested, but the words never came out of my mouth. Yang took that as the initiative and tackled me, taking off the pieces of clothing I wore at the time. She then proceeded to replace my bra and panties with the bikini, while making sure I don't have a chance to resist. When they were finally on, my face took a light crimson hue, embarrassed to hear what Chris would say.

"There you go Neo," Yang said, looking over me in the bikini. "You are looking very sexy right now. I bet that Chris would be speechless when he sees you in that. Still, you have to thank the Saints for having some bikinis in stock in their stores. Now let's go enjoy that hot tub."

She then grabbed my wrist again and walked me out of the bathroom, with our destination being the outdoor pool. Some of the Saints that were inside the penthouse were checking out the both of us, and I swear that I was blushing in embarrassment. Yang ignored them as we continued to walk, reaching the outside of the building. With that done, she proceeded to place me in the hot waters outside, where I saw Ruby, Weiss and Summer relaxing in their own bikinis.

"Neo, I'm glad that you came over," Ruby said excitedly as Yang entered the hot tub. "Now that we're all here, why don't we take this chance to talk?"

"I'm all for that Ruby," Weiss agreed, sounding like she's enjoying the waters. "So, we all know that both you and Chris are brother and sister, right? And you said that you were twins?"

"Yeah, pretty much," the young girl answered happily. "Why do you ask, Weiss?"

"Well, it's just that, you two don't look like twins at all. He's clearly seventeen, while you yourself are fifteen. I don't see how you guys are twins at all."

"You can probably thank the unstable storm for that," Summer pitched in to the conversation. "The Teleportation Storm must have a limited supply of mana when Ruby and I first came to Remnant. If the UNSC's constantly supplying the storm with mana now, it won't be long until the two worlds are fully connected, year and all."

"But what will happen to Ruby, mom," Yang asked the older woman. "If the worlds will be connected completely, are we going to see any changes to her?"

"At the very least, her body will slowly readjust to the status quo," she answered back. "It depends on the time, but Ruby will grow approximately two years ahead soon. So far, nothing's happened, but it will be painful when it occurs."

They have been talking about how Ruby may change when the time between worlds are fully fixed, but I was too relaxed to pay attention. The waters the hot tub provided gave me the sense that relaxation was all I needed. However, I still wanted to be with Chris, so I slowly started to get out of the water.

"Neo, where the hell are you going," Goldilocks asked as my whole body is out of the water. "We really want to know about you and Hunter. More specifically, about all the stunts you guys did when you were kids."

"Sorry guys," I said apologetically, wrapping a tower around myself. "I remember something important that I have to do."

With that said, I left them behind, moving back inside the penthouse. I originally intended to spend the rest of the night with Chris, but Yang forced me to go to the hot tub with her. I made my way over to where he was before, only to see the Goth kid on the couch with Angel. Curious, I walked over to ask them where Chris went, only for them to point towards the balcony. Right there he stood, elegantly looking over the city horizon with his arms resting on the rail. I walked over to give him some company, thinking that he might be alone.

"Are you enjoying the party," Chris asked as I got closer to him. "Or did you feel like coming over to see me?"

"A little bit of both, to be honest," I said, finally being beside the man. "So, what are you doing here Chris?"

"Just going through memory lane right now." I looked at him with a curious look, causing him to go into detail. "Take a good look over this city. Gizmon may look like it's been around forever, only adding in or enhancing its appearance over the years. What you don't know is that it actually started out as a ruin. It only took the efforts of humanity, along with many alliances with other sentient life, to recreate the city into what it is now. From the UNSC mega tower in the center to the orbital platforms, Gizmon City continues to grow to this day."

"Well, it looks like one of those cities in the old sci-fi films we used to watch," I joked a bit. "But I can't believe that in over two millennia, our cities will look just like this. I mean, I thought I was dreaming until today."

"Well as of now, it's reality." Chris paused to wrap his arm around my waist. "The whole world is full of surprises, Neo. This was the future the Federation fought for, and it's that same future that we're fighting for now. Even if it's against monsters or a whole rival military, nothing is going to stop me from keeping Earth and her colonies safe."

"Even if you have to sacrifice yourself to do it," I asked, worried to hear his answer.

"Yes, even if it means sacrificing my body. If I have to die to save Earth, I wouldn't hesitate to do it. And since I now have a family, I'll make sure that they're safe as well."

I lowered my head after hearing what he said, thinking about what he meant by that. Then I remembered that Chris has been a soldier all his life, so I knew he would say something like that. Still, it pains me to hear about him going through the trials of war, becoming the person he is today. Despite all of that, he still cares about those close to him. He looked over towards me, leaning in to initiate a kiss. I followed his lead and closed in to his face, about to engage in it.

"Jeez Boss, get a room," we stopped to look at Pierce, who chose a bad time to interrupt us. "I know it has been more than a week, but you don't have to make a move on a girl now."

"Pierce, we were having a moment here," my boyfriend shouted at the man. "Now what is it that you want?"

"I just came to give you this, Hunter." He handed over what appeared to be a flyer. "Race Day is coming up, and I thought you can bring the kids there. You are going to compete in the races, are?"

"Pierce, you should know me. Of course I'm going to race, as long as Toretto is there."

"And then there's this, boss." Pierce hands over another flyer. "TK is running out of zombies to use for his show, so until Ultor stocks up, he'll be running a tournament event in a few days. Seeing as you are a regular, I figured you are going to compete."

"A tournament you say," We all looked over to the newcomer, Mistralian champion Pyrrha Nikos. "I guess I found something worth trying. Plus, this is better training for me, since the Vytal Festival is coming."

"Are you sure about that Pyrrha," Chris asked the champion. "I don't know how your tournaments work, but ours are jam packed with veterans. Clan leaders, military generals, even some UNSC squad leaders enlist in the TiR tournaments. Maybe your semblance and aura will help a little, but these guys are skilled with their artes."

"Even so, I will not pass up this opportunity. I am going to enlist in it, whether you like it or not."

I saw a small smile form in Chris' lips as she said that, already knowing what the outcome of the tournament will be. Pyrrha also had a small smile plastered on her face, determined to win the tournament here on Earth. When no more words were exchanged, the Mistralian left with Pierce and went back to the penthouse party. I looked back at Chris and offered a smile before leaning in for that kiss. He wasted no time in following my lead, and right after that, our lips were connected. We kept our kiss going for a few seconds until separating, and Chris took the opportunity to offer his arm.

"Well Neo, would you like to continue enjoying the party," He asked me, giving him a nod as an answer. "Well, let's go make this a night to remember."

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Undisclosed Location**

**Unknown Time**

**December 15****th****, 4021**

Footsteps echo over the halls of what appears to be an active facility, and scores of occupants moved over to allow a figure to move forward. The figure appeared to be of machine designed, and its appearance took on a form of a mechanized samurai. It donned a worn down cloak to cover most of its body, while red LED lights glowed from its eyes sockets. No one but the figure actually knows who it is, and only the Winds of Destruction has access to that information.

The figure continued its paced towards its destination, glaring at the others to move aside. Those that didn't follow were swatted away like flies as the machine bashed them with its arm. The others tended to the injured as the figure moved on, until it finally reached its destination. It made its way towards a giant mech when a call came through, prompting it to answer.

"What is it now, Sundowner," the figure spoke in a harsh tone. "What could be so important that you had to interrupt my work?"

"Most of our phases are complete, sir," Sundowner said on the other side. "Mistral told us that she was headed to Earth a few days ago. I want to let you know that her side of the preparations are complete."

"Excellent." The figure began working on its mech. "Will there be any changes to the Hunter Bloodline's extinction, preferably Chris Hunter's death?"

"That's where we hit a snag, sir. It turns out that we have two more Hunters to kill."

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING," the figure shouted out, throwing one of its tools at a bystander. "ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT THE HUNTER BLOODLINE TRIPLED?"

"No, Sir. What I do know is that the two new additions we found are female. There is the twin sister, who goes by 'Ruby Rose,' while the mother goes by 'Summer Rose.' However, her true name happens to be Casey Hunter."

"I see." The figure then put his mind into the plan set in motion. "Sundowner, finish your side of the preparations. Phase 4 will commence shortly."

"As you wish, Dr. Exavolt."

The line went dead after Sundowner mentioned the figure's name, and the machine let out a maniacal laughter. It was loud enough that all occupants in the facility heard it, making them think that it has something up its sleeve. After the laughter died down, Exavolt grabbed the necessary tools to finish his project.

"Just you wait, Chris Hunter," the bot spoke out. "Your demise has only been delayed through Shadow Hunter's death. Our struggle will commence, but I doubt you'll live after encountering MY PMC. YOU SEE, THE WAR HAS ALREADY BEGUN."

* * *

**A/N: I hope I did well in terms of capturing the party's atmosphere, but like I said, I wanted to flesh out more on Chris Hunter and Neo's relationship. I also had the Idea of including the mastermind of Desperado being introduced at the end, signifying his importance for later chapters.**

**Like I said in previous A/N, I am still looking for ideas for what the kids from Beacon will do. Race Day and the TiR tournament has been planned, but I am still looking for opportunities to expand their trip on Earth. From visiting space stations to other cities, I'm all ears in terms of ideas. If you have one that may work, let me know via reviews. I check them every day.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	14. 14: Daughter to Father

**A/N: I figured it was time to feature something that will be important: Neo's encounter with someone from the past, and reconnecting with her father. That would mean a trip to the graveyard, where a monument was placed to remember those fallen. After this, the other chapters will be on the activities the field trip will have. If you have any ideas, send it via review, since I check them every day.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Saints Tower, Gizmon City**

**5:31 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 16****th****, 4021**

Johnny's party went without any incidents last night, and everyone from Beacon enjoyed the hospitality the Saints provided. Sure, the stripper poles were taken out because mom was here, but I wasn't complaining. Other than that, everyone enjoyed it, from the pool-turned-hot tub to the food. I'm actually glad that Gat planned ahead when he got the message, though I wondered if Pierce getting punished was part of that.

After the party died down and everyone passed out, I couldn't get any sleep at all. I decided to stay outside and train myself with martial arts, from the judo throw to the roundhouse kick. I kept at it for hours, until the weather got colder and snow started to fall. It was the first snowfall after a long time, with the last one back in the 34th century. I took the snowfall as a sign to end my training, walking back inside the penthouse. I then made my way towards the kitchen, where I was greeted by both mom and Ruby.

"Morning guys," I said to my family as I made my way to the table. "I guess you guys can't sleep either?"

"No, it was like that for mom," Ruby replied back. "I just woke up not too long ago, smelling the breakfast she's making. What about you Chris?"

"I couldn't sleep at all," I answered her question, sitting down at the table. "After I gave Neo my bed, I just didn't have the fatigue to pass out. Instead, I stayed outside to hone my skills further. I was doing a lot better until the snow came down."

"Well, it was nice of you to give up your own bed," mom added in to the conversation. "However, I think todays the one to bring her to him. You should know who I mean, Chris."

Mom referred to Neo's dad: General Richard 'Chip' Hazard. She believed that since Neo is back home on Earth, it would be wise to have her visit his resting place. I thought about bringing her before Race Day started, but it will be in the city tomorrow. I continued to be in thought when Gat came by with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

"You guys talking about going to the Cortez Graveyard," the gunslinger asked us, interest piqued. "If you want, I can give you guys a ride there. I have to go visit Aisha anyways, so I can tell her about what happened over the course of November to last night."

"We're pretty much debating about it," I added. "Mom suggested that I bring Neo over to General Hazard's grave, seeing as she is his daughter."

"General Hazard's kid? As in, the one who disappeared from the Grand Canyon outpost in 1999?"

"Yeah, that would be her," I said to him, who had a surprised look on his face. "Hey Gat, can you give me a sec to wake her up?"

The Saint nodded his head when I asked him, since he knows it won't be a problem. After getting that ok, I slowly got out of my chair and walked over to my room. It would have been easy, but the kids and any hungover Saints covered most of the floor. Still, I made my way around them, making sure I don't step on anyone. The trip was grueling, but I made over to my bedroom door. I then opened it, getting the sight of my girlfriend sleeping soundly in the sheets of my bed. I walked up to her and moved her body just a little, causing her to groan and open her eyes a little.

"Neo, it's time to get up," I whispered to her. "We're going to reacquaint you to someone special."

* * *

**Neo POV**

**Cortez Graveyard, Gizmon City**

**6:59 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 16****th****, 4021**

Chris told me that I was going to see someone special today, and told me to get dressed. I don't know what he meant by that, but the way he worded it sounded important to us. I had to think about who he could be referring to, but I kept drawing up blanks. Maybe I can ask him about it later, just so I have a better understanding.

I was in the back of the car that Johnny was driving, listening to their conversations about some girl named Aisha. Apparently, they planned on going to someplace called "Cortez." I don't what it meant until I saw our destination: a graveyard. That was minutes ago, and we're currently walking through the field, passing by the other people visiting.

"So Johnny," Chris sparked a conversation. "When I drop Neo off, is it ok if I come over to see Aisha?"

"Boss, you know you're more than welcome," the man told him. "Eesh always loved you as a brother and a fellow Saint. I'm sure she'll be happy that you're visiting her."

"But still, it was our fault that we couldn't save her in time. I mean, you guys had a good life over the years, and—"

"Stop it," he interrupted Chris. "If it was anyone's fault over Eesh's death, it would be mine, and mine alone. You did what you could to stop those bastards, and I went after the guy who killed her. If anyone, you don't carry the blame over her death."

Johnny seemed to be a little more distressed as we continued on, eventually stopping and taking a right. I was about to follow him, but Chris told me that we're to keep going straight. It felt like hours as we walked, until we finally stopped in front of what appears to be a memorial.

"Chris, why are we in front of a stone pillar," I asked out of curiosity. "You said we were going to meet someone important."

"It is important, Neo," he said back as he wiped the stone, allowing a name to be read. "Take a closer look. The name should be enough for you."

At his suggesting, I leaned in to see the name embedded into the tombstone. It was then that I suddenly started to break down in tears. On the tombstone was a name that was important to me, and that name belonged to my father. My tear filled eyes made out the writing: 'Here lies Richard "Chip" Hazard, an accomplished General, friend and loving father.' Chris brought me over to see my father, who practically raised us in our early years.

"I'll leave you alone so you can talk to him," Chris spoke up as I continued crying. "Tell him about how you've been, how we've reunited, and anything else you feel like bringing up."

He slowly left me behind as the tears continued to fall on my face, planning to meet up with Johnny. With him gone, it was just me and the stone monument, which stood there looking over the fields. I continued to cry on the spot, with my voice echoing in the air. It was like that for a few minutes until I couldn't cry no more, but my emotions were still high on sorrow. Gathering the courage needed, I began talking to the stone tablet.

"Hey there… Daddy," I started off. "If you don't know who I am, then I don't blame you for not remembering. I just wanted to say that I am back home, after two millennia. Just to refresh your memory, I am your daughter, Neo Hazard." I took one more breath before continuing. "On that day, back in 1999, I was hit by lightning and sent to a different world called Remnant. From there on, I was taken in by a master criminal, Roman Torchwick. Too make it short, I went on to become an assassin to his organization. Don't worry though; Chris came to save me from myself, and I made amends."

I continued to talk to the monument about my life up to this point, adding in the part that Chris and I are officially a couple. I then went on to explain how Remnant operated, from the discovery of Dust to the evolution of society there. I even brought up the creatures of Grimm, but joked around saying they were nothing compared to the monsters I have recently seen. I went on until I couldn't find anything else to talk about, deciding to talk about my life before Remnant.

"Daddy, do you remember the talk we had when I turned four? You know, about 'finding that perfect, special someone to look after me?' Well you already know this, but that 'special someone' is Chris, and I can't imagine life without him anymore. I have a feeling that, if you were alive, you would give him your blessing to date me. Even so, I still miss you. I love you Daddy."

Footsteps were heard after I said that, causing me to look at the source. Behind those sounds was a well-built man, looking like he belonged in his early 30's. His attire consisted of a dress shirt and tie covered in a black vest, with a black trench coat overtop and finished with dress pants and boots. His hair appeared to be colored jet black and his eyes looked to be dark-crimson. His hair covered his eyes a little, while the back stretches out to the bottom of his back. He stopped to place a bouquet of flowers in front of the monument.

"So, you happened to know the General," the man spoke to me, keeping his focus on the stone. "Tell me, what was your relationship with Hazard?"

"I-I…" I stumbled to find the right words. "I… was his daughter, who was taken away from him at an early age."

"I see. That means that you were the girl from the Federation's 1999 MIA report. What happened when you 'disappeared' from our sight?"

I took a deep breath before answering. "I was… sent to a different world that day. What about you? How did you know daddy?"

"Let's just say that… that he a mentor to me and a friend. He took me in his squad, taught me the value in people's lives and what it means to be truly alive. It's because of him that I became who I am."

The man slowly got up after saying that before walking up towards me. I was a little intimidated when his body towered mine, but something calmed me down when he handed me something. Curious, I took a look to see both a letter and a weapon in my hands. The man turned around to leave when my gaze left him.

"Wait a minute," I called out to him, stopping him in his tracks. "I just want to know: what is your name?"

"Erston. Erston Outway," he answered my question without looking at me. "The blade in your hands is my treasured Shiranami katana, and it houses the Great Spirit Aska. It's a gift from me to you. And the letter… it's written by your father."

Erston left me alone after saying that to me, and I feel a new wave of tears starting to form in my eyes. I never thought that I would receive something from daddy years ahead of when I last saw him. But what surprised me more was the blade the man entrusted to me. It looks similar to Chris' katanas, only the length of the blade is longer. Putting it aside, I reached for the letter, tearing out the envelope and read its contents.

"_Dear Neo,_

_By the time you are reading this, then it means that I have brushed of this mortal coil. I just wanted to tell you that you were the most important person to me, alongside the soldiers under my command. Despite my duties getting in my way, I was desperate to find you. Unable to do so, I asked my good friend, Erston, to look for you in my stead. The thing about him is that he is cursed with eternal life, along with the rest of his family._"

Tears started to fall from my face, but I continued to read on.

"_Do you remember those days of being by Chris Hunter's side as a kid? We all thought that you two were inseparable, that you guys were already in a relationship. I remember my lieutenant, Shujumi, trying to get you two by yourselves through many stunts, but all that did was strengthen your bond to him. If you're wondering, you don't need my blessing to be by his side forever, as I have given it to you early in your life. I know that you'll be happy when being near him and that makes me happy as well. Despite the wrongdoings we have all committed, Hunter has that power to lead us to the right path in life._

_I wish I could stay with you forever, but unfortunately my life was cut short by the war with the Arachnids. Just remember that I'll always be with you, inside your heart._

_Farwell, Elena 'Neo' Hazard._

_ From your father,_

_ General Richard 'Chip' Hazard._

_ P.S.: If Erston gave you his Shiranami, then it means that he deems you worthy for the Spirit inside. Try asking someone who can train you. I know you can do it._"

I finished reading it in time for the tears to settle down, but my emotions were out of whack. I should have known that my old man gave his blessing years ago, but I was so focused on the here and now that it never occurred to me. I took one more look over the stone monument, giving it one more smile before departing with Shiranami in hand.

"Thank you Daddy… for everything you've done for me," I said as I left. "I swear that I'll make you proud."

* * *

**A/N: I know this chapter is shorter than all the other ones I have written out, but I ran out on what to type up for this chapter. Despite that, I really wanted to have Neo visit her old man, as well as meeting someone important. If you read Change of Existence, the you may recognize the name 'Erston Outway.' I'll let you put two and two together, while I work on the activities in the field trip.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	15. 15: Race Day Pt 1

**A/N: The field trips activities have finally gone full stream, and I think I have found out more ways to extend it. Race Day and the TiR Tournament will be featured, but I have made another idea on the form of CRDL's epic humiliation. I can't reveal too much, but I can say that it involves a very sadistic murder cat: Professor Genki. I also gained an idea of a character meeting a fortune teller, who will use Tarot cards to reveal a love fortune. Despite that, I will need more ideas, so if you have any, hit me up via review.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Central Plaza, Gizmon City**

**11:26 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 17****th****, 4021**

It was a huge shock to us when Neo came back yesterday holding a katana, but it was more so when mom recognized it. Apparently, the blade belonged to a man she fell in love two millennia ago, but lost contact with him after a few months. Despite that, she was willing to help Neo master it, leaving the tri-colored girl in her care. Chris offered to help as well, but mom believed that she could handle it. Despite that, he lent her one of his spare katanas just so she can use some examples.

Since Neo's training suddenly started yesterday, Chris had to leave her behind today and bring us over to the Central Plaza. I have heard from Mr. Pierce that Race Day was being held here, and suggested that we check it out. When we got there, there were no signs of GMP here at all. Stalls were all set up around the plaza, as cars of different varieties are on display. People were seen wearing summer wear outside, despite the snow falling from the sky. Every one of us was excited to see the races when a familiar bald man came up to me.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Ruby Rose," Dominic Toretto spoke up as he came towards us. "We haven't seen you for more than two weeks, so where have you been?"

"Oh, well I was… back at school, Dom," I answered him. "Sorry I couldn't let you know earlier."

"Ahh, that's alright. Just as long as you're here, you might as well have a fucking good time." He then took a look over my friends from Beacon. "Though, you could have told me that you're bringing friends along. Speaking of friends, where's Hunter?"

"Excuse me, Miss Rose," Professor Goodwitch interrupted our conversation. "How exactly do you know this man?"

"Oh, right," I said, moving beside the racer and started the introductions. "Professor Goodwitch, everyone, I would like to introduce you to Dominic Toretto, a veteran racer and resident of the city. Dominic," I paused to move over to the others. "These guys are my friends from Beacon Academy back at Remnant. We're actually here on a field trip."

"I see, so that's why there's a whole bunch of kids. So you guys are probably wondering why there's a lack of cops here, huh?" We all nodded our heads to answer his question. "Well, unlike race nights at the end of each month, the city holds Race Day as a pass time for the citizens. From professional to street, every race is permitted. Because of Race Day, all businesses and corporations close down to witness them, while stands are set up to offer snacks and prizes."

"Hey Baldie," Nora called out to Dom, and I thought I saw a vein pop. "Is there a stand that makes pancakes?"

The racer only pointed to a random direction, causing Nora to go berserk in the search for pancakes. It didn't take long for Ren to follow in the hopes of calming her down, while the rest of us just looked at the crazy girl. It only took a while for both of them to disappear from our sights, but I know how dangerous Nora can be without her pancakes. It was left in an awkward silence until Dom broke it.

"So Ruby, do you happen to know where your brother is? It's just that I don't want to race without him being here."

"I think he left us here to go get his car, or something like that," I answered him, "He said that he'll be here soon, but so far, I haven't heard from him yet."

As I said that, everyone in the plaza slowly backed away from the south gate to allow a large pick-up truck pass through. The container it has attached was really long, and I thought I heard the sound of an engine revving to life in it. Once the truck came to a stop, the container's door opened, causing all of us to move out of the way, with the exception of Cardin.

"Hey jackass," Dom shouted out to the bully. "You better move the fuck out of the way, unless you want to be road paste."

Cardin never had a chance to move as a fast moving car zoomed out of the container, running him over in a second. The car was the Attrazione that Chris drove in the last race, as I can easily make out the blue color and white racing stripes. What surprised me was the addition of a dragon emblem on one side, and my rose emblem on the other. The car did a few donuts until it came to a stop, and its engine hummed a few times before shutting down. Then finally, the door opened, revealing Chris wearing his casual clothing, complete with a black hoodie.

"Guess who is ready to race," my brother shouted out to the crowd before walking over to us, clashing his hand in Dom's. "It's good to see you again, man. I bet you're ready to lose our next race, huh?"

"Oh, I highly doubt that, Hunter," the older racer retorted until he placed his gaze towards the crowd. "ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY LISTEN UP. OUR RACE WILL BE STARTING AFTER LUNCH. NOW, UNLIKE THE BUY-INS IN OUR RACE NIGHTS, TODAY'S WILL BE $35,000. IF YOU'RE RIDING WITH A PASSENGER, THEN IT WILL BE $50,000."

"Well guess what Toretto," Chris said as the crowd gathered, handing Dom a stack of money. "I'll take that offer. 50 Grand right there." He then placed his gaze on me. "Ruby, you want to enjoy another race or what?"

Wasting no time, I instantly ran over and got in to the passenger's seat of his Attrazione to answer his question. Everyone laughed over what they did, and I thought I heard someone call me "Speedy Gonzales." While everyone was busy laughing, Dom had his friend come over and collect the money Chris had. I then saw Dominic hand over another $50,000 and chose Yang as his passenger, while another guy came up with his buy-in money.

"Yo, Hunter, my amigo," the guy spoke up after handing the cash over. "Is it ok if I have one of those kids as a passenger for the race? I mean, you got your sister, and Dom has that blonde chica, so I thought, 'eh might as well have one myself.'" He only gained a nod of approval, to which the man pointed at Velvet. "Hey Bunny Girl, you're going to be my lucky rabbit's foot."

Velvet was about to object when the third racer came and 'casually' walked her over to his vehicle. I can tell from the look on Coco's face that Velvet is terrified over being part of the race. I know that, like me, she'll grow to enjoy the speed. When Velvet finally got in the car, Dom looked over us and spoke out.

"Alright, we have three racers and 150 Grand counted up. However, we can't start the race unless we have a fourth driver. Who among you has the balls to join in on this race?"

"I guess that will be me." We all turned around to see mom, who somehow overheard the announcement. What's different about her was the attire she was wearing: a black tank top and a pair of dark red track pants, complete with a pair of black and red runners. Her physique was impressive as her body was like that of a well-known model. Her hair, which looked like a longer version of mine, was tied up into a ponytail, while her bangs flew freely to the left. I could have sworn that some of the crowd was checking her out as she stopped in front of Dom with a stack of cash in her hand.

"You sure you want to race, mom," Chris asked her. "What about the training you had with Neo?"

"I found someone who'll take over today, giving me some time to relax," mom answered back, before placing her gaze towards Dom. "Since you and your sisters are in the race, I figured I might as well join in. And before you ask, I have my own car in the form of a Superiore."

She snapped her fingers as she said that, and a car sped out from the same container the Attrazione. It looked a lot similar in terms of design; only the shape of the car was more on the blocky side. The colors were also different from the Attrazione's, bearing a jet black paint job with red racing stripes. There also happened to be a bright red underglow coming from underneath the car. It sped out and ran over Cardin, causing him to fly right into the walls of the plaza.

"Poor Cardin," I commented on the event. "It seemed that Karma was getting back at him. All those days of torturing Velvet came back to bite him in the ass."

Dom was counting down the money that mom handed over, making sure that the full funds are there. In a surprising turn of events, mom went over and whispered something in Professor Goodwitch's ear, which I can only guess that she chose her as a passenger. While I was looking at her, Dom finished counting cash and handed the combined total over to his friend.

"Alright, the buy-in total came up to $200,000, and all racers have chosen their respective passengers," the veteran racer announced. "However, like I said before, the main race will commence after lunch, so that leaves us an hour to prepare." He then turned his gaze towards the gates. "All of you who are in the set up crew, head out and get our track ready."

Some of the people here got in their cars and left the Central Plaza, leaving to prepare the track used for the upcoming race. I was a little disappointed that I have to wait, but it will give me time to talk to my team or hang out with Chris. However, I never got to when I saw him speaking to Dom about something important, leaving me no choice but to hang out with mom.

"Oh, Ruby," mom spoke up as I walked over to her. "I guess you're wondering why I'm here instead of training Neo, huh?"

"That is one of the many questions I have for you," I answered her, more interested in something else. "I am actually wondering… When and where did you get that car?"

"Oh, the Superiore? I actually had this car since I first came back to Earth one and a half millennia ago. At the time, Cyclos was helping with re-integrating me with the planet's society. Everything I have known before I first came to Remnant disappeared, leaving me with a whole new world."

"Tell me about it," I said to her, walking over with her over to a food stand. "All my life, I have thought that I was a Remnant native, making friends and fighting the Grimm. Now, I know that I was originally from Earth. To make it weirder, I am part of some warrior bloodline that fought for humanity's safety. Despite all that, my friends still accepted me."

"You know, Ruby," mom grabbed my attention. "I was a lot different from you when I was your age. I was a victim to bullying, because at the time, our bloodline thought it was a good idea to become farmers. I wanted to change that, so I enlisted in the Federation. My actions may have caused our family to become what the bloodline is now: warriors."

We still talked about how much my family is to the UNSC, even explaining how Chris was involved in the army's current position. We kept at it until we grabbed our lunches, shifting our conversations from UNSC standings to a different city. It was then I learned that Gizmon City itself wasn't the first to act as a UNSC home base, but the second. The first city was a place called Station Square, but it was unfortunately lost during the Human-Covenant war years ago. We were eventually joined by Coco, who left her team to chat with us.

"I can't believe this," she said, covering her face with her hands. "My partner Velvet has been chosen to be a partner for the race, and I can't help but worry. I can't help but think that she'll be in danger."

"Relax, Coco," I said to her as I ate my lunch. "The races are actually quite fun. In fact, this will be the second race I am taking part of here in this city. I have a feeling that Velvet will be fine, if only a little excited by the end."

"How can you tell, Ruby," CFVY's leader asked me. "Velvet isn't like you. She'll be scared to get into a car after this is over."

"You have to relax, Miss Adel," mom spoke up. "Why do you think that I am having Glynda join me in the race? A racer has to get their passenger's excitement levels to the max, and a street race is well known for that fact. Velvet looked like she needed some fun in her life right now, and Glynda is too stuck up for her own good. I believe that today will be a good way for them to loosen up more."

I understood what mom meant about Professor Goodwitch. That teacher has been working her butt off trying to keep the peace in Beacon, and I agree that she needs to loosen up. As for Velvet, everyone pretty much pegged her as a shy girl who couldn't fight. They both needed to loosen up and learn to go wild.

Coco, mom and I continued to talk until we finished up our lunches, and it looked like everyone was heading over to surround the cars, taking it as the signal to start the race, we all bolted over to where they were. To be honest, I'm looking forward to racing against mom, but more so when I beat her. When we both got to the starting line, I immediately went straight for the Attrazione's passenger seat, while mom dragged Professor Goodwitch towards her Superiore. I also saw the others getting into their respective cars, and Dom's friend walked over to make an announcement.

"Alright everybody," the man started his speech. "As most of you know, I am the host of this month's Race Day, Tej Parker. I would like to say that we have an interesting event for you all. Returning after winning last month's race night is Chris Hunter, alongside his sister Ruby Rose. Then we have the regular legend of the streets, Dominic Toretto, and with him is Yang Xiao Long. Joining us for the first time is the Incest mother Summer Rose, and she has a school teacher, Glynda Goodwitch. Lastly, we have Mario Lopez, who chose a Beastkin from Remnant named Velvet Scarlatina."

"HEY, VELVET IS A FAUNUS," I heard Coco shout out to the announcer.

"Well, on Earth, we say Beastkin," Tej said back to the fashionista. "Now, I bet all of your engines must be begging to go crazy, huh? Well, without further ado, let's get this race started. Let those engines roar with life."

Chris, Dom, mom and Mario did what the announcer said and revved up their cars' engines. Tej nodded in satisfaction over the sound and pointed at the two girls, who both said 'ready' and 'set' respectively. Satisfied again, he waved his own hands down to the ground, shouting out the same phrase I heard weeks ago.

"THEN RACE LIKE FUCKING CRAZY!"

* * *

**A/N: I only have one thing to say: FUCK WRITER'S BLOCK. Why must I suffer from it soo badly, when I have things to write and plan out. I do somewhat blame laziness, but that is just part of my nature, and my laziness consists of playing video games or watching anime. Despite that, I still want to pump out chapters for Remnant Crisis.**

**Now Race Day will be set in two parts, just like the chapters "To Cheer a Rose" in Change of Existence. As for the Passengers, I had Ruby set as Chris', Yang as Toretto's, Glynda as Summer's, and Velvet for Mario Lopez. I could have used either Roman Pierce or Han from the Fast and Furious Franchise, but I decided against it and wanted someone of Mexican descent. That is how Mario was born. As for Neo, I will have her appear later. As for Tej, he will have his 2 Fast 2 Furious intro look, especially the afro.  
**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	16. 16: Race Day Pt 2

**A/N: The Race has begun, and I have a few things that I would like to point out. Since I am not that knowledgeable on vehicles, I had to do some research. As it turns out, both the Superiore and the Attrazione are Saints Row vehicles, and that they are based off of two Lamborghini models, therefore almost looking similar in terms of design.**

**Off topic, I have one thing to say: A NEW TALES GAME HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED. Not only is Tales of Zestiria coming soon to North America in October, but Namco Bandai has announced that the new title will have a main female lead. Not much is known at the moment, but the title of the new Tales game is in fact "Tales of Berseria," and that the main character's name is 'Velvet.' Other than that, not much has been given in terms of info, but I am pretty stoked for it to come out now. And if you have already guessed, the way the people fight on Earth was in fact influenced by the Tales franchise.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Streets of Gizmon City**

**Race Start**

**December 17****th****, 4021**

"THEN RACE LIKE FUCKING CRAZY!"

Right after Tej shouted that and waved his hands to the ground, the cars jolted to life and sped out of the Central Plaza. Everyone cheered over the sound of burnt rubber as we left the area and into the streets. While we sped through, I have seen the vast majority of the city populace focusing their attention to the race. I guess that Race Day is a pretty big event.

It didn't take long to figure out our standings in the Race. I know that Chris and I are leading, followed by Dom's and mom's cars side by side. Trailing behind them was Velvet's driver, Mario Lopez, whose car was vastly different from the others. From what Chris told me when I first came to Earth in October, Lopez's vehicle is called a Zenith. It was slowly catching up to Toretto and mom as we moved forward. I looked back at the front to see that we're about to hit a turn.

"Chris, are you going to…" I asked Chris as we got closer.

"Yup, hang on," he answered before adjusting the stick, turning to a different gear. When he did that, he slammed his foot on the brake while keeping his other foot on the gas. This caused his car to skid as we took the turn, drifting safely to keep our standing in the race. It didn't take long for the others to do the same, but I did see Dom's car smash and break a lamppost. Because of that, mom was able to pass the Phoenix Charger and speed up towards us.

"Jeez, I never knew mom was into racing," I brought up as her car started to close in on us. "I guess she really means business."

"That doesn't mean that she'll win this race," Chris spoke up, keeping his eyes on the road. "All I want you to do is enjoy the ride."

I returned my gaze to what was in front of me, taking quick glances behind us from time to time. From what I saw, mom is slowly catching up to the Attrazione, while Dom and Yang are speeding faster. I guess that a nitrous boost was used if they were able to catch up and regain their spot that quick. Still, I slowly got worried if the Charger or the Superiore got the chance to pass us. One of those worries got dispersed when Dom took a turn into an alleyway.

"Wait a minute," I started to say. "Why did Dom take a turn? Isn't the official turn not a couple of blocks away?"

"He probably thinks that he can get a win with a shortcut," Chris answered, still focused on driving. "Too bad for him though. He's about to get a hell of a surprise."

* * *

**Yang Xiao Long POV**

**Gizmon Alleyways**

**Few minutes after Race Start**

**December 17****th****, 4021**

"OK Yang, this should get us through the race a lot quicker. Nobody knows about these shortcuts but me."

Dom was annoyed that he was brought down to third place at the first turn of the race, but after catching up to mom, he decided to go into one of the alleyways. I never questioned it, thinking it was going to give us an easy win. We did run over a few garbage bags and any fences that were in the way, but I didn't care about that. What mattered was beating Ruby in the race, and I willingly chose Dom to be my driver.

"Speaking of shortcuts, how many do you plan on taking," I asked the bald man. "I'm just wondering, cause I want to see Ruby freak out over us overtaking them in the race."

"That won't be an issue, Yang," my driver answered, running over more garbage in the alley. "Just a few more shortcuts and we'll be on top. I can't wait to see the face on Hunter when he loses."

We kept the conversation going as we sped through the alleyway, leaving behind nothing but scattered garbage, destroyed fences and ruined property. However, as we got a glimpse of the road coming up, Dom immediately slammed on the brakes. It didn't stop the car though, since we ended up hitting a ramp with the speed we racked up. Last thing I knew was that we were flying a bit until landing perfectly on a traffic jammed street. One thing's for sure: we are not going to finish this race.

"Dominic Toretto," I slowly started, annoyed that his shortcut was a bust. "Did you check all the streets of the city BEFORE starting this race?"

All he did was shake his head sideways, answering my question. I hate to say it, but we're going to be stuck for a long time.

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Streets of Gizmon City**

**Minutes after Toretto's route change**

**December 17****th****, 4021**

"Wait, they were going to be stuck in a traffic jam," I asked my brother, surprised. "Then why would Dom take that route, not knowing about it?"

"Cause he never bothers checking out the roads before joining," Chris answered while laughing. He explained to me that even though Race Day is an annual event here in the city, there are a few streets that are, in his words, 'busy as hell.' I would actually be surprised if they got out of it, but then they would be far behind in the race.

After Dom made that turn minutes ago, Mario was able to speed up until he was right behind mom. I know that neither of the cars have used up any nitrous, instead relying on the speed the cars can get. Mom was making sure that the other racer wouldn't be able to pass her by keeping her car in front of him, while also trying to outmaneuver us. It wasn't easy for her, since Chris has been blocking any chance she would get.

The cars eventually arrived at one of Gizmon City's spiral driveways, and Chris already started to slow down. I was about to question this when he changed the gears again and started drifting on the driveway. It didn't take long for mom and Mario to follow suit, but I did see one of them struggling to keep a steady drift. What I didn't know was that as we got higher, the view of the city changed and I can slowly see the horizon a lot better. To be honest, I'm glad I got to take part of this race.

The Drift was kept at a stable rate as we continued upwards until eventually reaching the top of the building. The building we were on looked to be a stacked parking lot, with most of the slots being empty. Chris drove up to the edge of the building before coming to a complete spot. I wanted to ask why, but I saw that the edge had no wall, and a clear view of the Central plaza was seen. Eventually, we were joined by mom and Mario, and the drivers all got out of the cars for a quick conversation.

"Well, my amigos," Mario started up. "It all came down to the final stretch, huh. Too bad Toretto is missing out now."

"I know what you mean, Lopez," Chris said to the man. "Even though it is Race Day, there are a few streets that are jammed packed with traffic. I have a feeling that once the race is over, Toretto will be driving over to the plaza, and by then, the winner will be decided."

"Still though," mom pitched in on the conversation. "I am surprised that Race Day has this little system where we can just stop and talk like nothing happened."

"That's only to make sure that there are no hard feelings between the racers. I mean, don't you remember Akuji, Lopez?"

The man started to laugh at that statement before speaking. "Yeah, I remember. The poor kid was fucking convinced that he'll win the race years ago, and you shut his expectations down with your Kaneda bike. I swear, he pretty much bitched his lungs out."

"At least he isn't like Glynda here," mom pointed over to her car's passenger seat, where Professor Goodwitch was seen passed out. "A few minutes after the race started, she was screaming her lungs out until she passed out. I swear, this race was supposed to help loosen her up. Speaking of passengers, how was Velvet?"

We all looked over to the side of the building to see Velvet, who was admiring the view of the entire city. It's not every day where you can just go to a different world and take in the sights. A small smile slowly crept on her face, and a small tear was falling from her face.

"It really is beautiful, isn't it," the bunny girl asked us. "All my life, Atlas was the most advanced kingdom in terms of technology. But now, after coming to Earth and seeing this… I think that maybe we're not alone anymore."

"You got that right, Velvet," mom said to her. "And to think, this city went from a bunch of ruins to a functional megatropolis in a span of a few years. I heard that this city's reconstruction finished in the 22nd Century, right?"

"Yeah, at the start of the 22nd Century," Chris answered her. "Back then, I was pretty much in Cryo-sleep after my few years in the Federation. When I exited out of Cryo, it was already the 26th Century, and the RDF evolved into the UNSC. They quickly recognized me, and the next thing I knew, I was placed in the Spartan Program. It didn't take long for them to add in the Immorta drug in the augmentations."

"Well, be glad that we all accept you for who you are, amigo," Mario said, noticing a light bridge starting to form connecting the building to the Central plaza. "I think our idle conversation time is up, bros and bras. The final stretch has arrived."

When Mario said that, both Chris and mom both looked at each other with determination in their faces before bolting straight to their vehicles. Velvet and her driver wasted no time when they dashed towards the Zenith, while the other drivers quickly got in the Attrazione and the Superiore. When they did get in, the revved up the engines a few times as the light bridge was fully complete. They all gave each other one more look before focusing their attention on the created path. Then, without any warning, they all sped off on to the light bridge, with Chris leading the pack again.

The Cars gained enough speed as they made their descent on the bridge connecting to the Central Plaza. However, due to the bridge itself being set on a diagonal, the cars ended up picking up more speed as they drive downwards. Along with the fact that there are no railings on the bridge itself, we're pretty much in a dangerous spot. Despite those dangers, the cars continued to make their way over to the Central plaza.

"Hey Chris," I shouted out to my driver. "What do you think we're doing next after today?"

"Either the Terror is Reality tournament or a visit over to Academia," he said to me, keeping his focus on the goal. "The tournament itself is going to be happening in a few days, and I am not going to miss out on it. As for Academia, the head of the science institute there wants to meet you guys. It seemed that Remnant's existence has piqued the interest of the Academy. Don't be surprised if he asked you a few questions on your society."

Mom's Superiore was slowly closing the gap between her car and Chris' Attrazione, and the same could be said with Mario's Zenith. Chris didn't seem too fazed when he saw what's going on, mainly keeping his focus as the Central Plaza got closer. Without even thinking, he pressed one of the buttons on the steering wheel, causing the car to gain even more additional speed. I didn't know what happened afterwards, but the sound of additional nitrous ignitions made me realize that the others are following our example. What came afterwards was that the cars made it back to the Central Plaza after a speedy ride down the bridge, with us coming in first place again.

"Well, here we have it folks," I heard Tej shouting out as the crowd cheered. "Winning Race Day this year is our reigning champions, Chris Hunter and Ruby Rose. Following in second place is Summer Rose and… a passed out woman. Finally, we have Mario Lopez and his passenger Velvet Scarlatina in a solid third."

Chris and I cheered over the announcement that Tej spoke out, and mom was pretty much trying to wake up Professor Goodwitch to let her know what happened. I also saw Coco rushing over to Velvet, worried about the bunny faunas' safety. As I looked around, Tej handed the prize money of $200,000 into my brother's hand, congratulating him on winning another race. One thought quickly came to mind, as I asked one simple thing.

"Wait a minute, where's Yang and Dom?"

* * *

**Meanwhile**

"THIS SUCKS ASS," Yang shouted out in frustration, annoyed that she's stuck in traffic for a few hours.

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT," her driver asked her, also annoyed that he missed out on the race.

* * *

**21:06 UNSC Standard Time**

**Central Plaza, Gizmon City**

Race day has been a blast for all of us, from the build up from Chris' race to the festivities that followed. The stands that cover the walls of the Central Plaza were filled to the brink with massive lineups, and the sound of music played in the center. The music itself was karaoke, and I swear that Mario was somewhat of a good singer, even though he did screw up on a few lyrics. The song he was singing was apparently called "All Night Long" and that it was originally sung by a guy named Lionel Richie.

Yang was able to get back to the Central in time for the karaoke's start, clearly annoyed that she spent hours on a traffic jam. According to her, she and Dom played 'I spy' in order to pass the time, only for the riddles to end up being the same. She was happy for me when I told her that Chris and I won the race again, going so far as to crush me with one of her devastating bear hugs. I need to remind myself to have Yang and a bear type monster to have a hug battle, just so I can see whose is stronger.

When Yang left me to go chat with the other people, I went around the plaza to see what would catch my eye. To my surprise, I saw Nora holding onto what appears to be a first place trophy, with Ren following behind carrying a bunch of plush dolls. Curious enough, I went over to see what happened with them.

"Nora, Ren," I greeted them, Waving my hand to have them come over to me. "I see that you guys had a lot of fun. What's up with the trophy, though?"

"Oh, you wouldn't believe me when I tell you, but," the hyper girl began to give her explanation. "After Baldie pointed at a random stand before your race, I have looked EVERYWHERE for a pancake stand. Ren was able to catch up, only for me to find a competition where people can eat more pancakes over their rivals. Obviously I joined in on the fun, and in a few hours, I won the game."

"It was almost a tie too," Ren added in to the explanation. "Five hundred to four hundred and ninety-nine pancakes, Nora won it by one pancake."

"FIVE HUNDRED PANCAKES," I shouted out in surprise, shocking everyone in the plaza. "Nora, how were you able to eat five hundred pancakes? More importantly, how are you able to keep a slim figure?"

"Ruby, this is Nora we're talking about," Ren tried to calm me down. "You can forget calling her a garbage disposal; she's more on the lines of a black hole."

"But still… you know what, forget it," I decided to end the conversation before it escalated, not wanting to know about the pancake monster's victory. "Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Jaune or Pyhhra in a while. Did something happen to them?"

"Well," Nora started to talk again, placing her trophy on the ground. "After your race went underway, this guy named Tex—"

"It was Tej," Ren corrected her.

"Right him. Anyways, he noticed that both Jaune and Pyrrha were together-together, and suggested that they go to an amusement park for some, and I quote the guy, 'alone time.' That was before I went on that pancake eating contest."

"Now why would Tej send Jaune and Pyrrha over to an amusement park," I asked out of confusion.

"Oh, you know, to help the two of them realize their true feelings for each other. It seemed that Tej was right to send them there."

"Yeah, sure…" I said until I saw my brother talking to Weiss and the others. "Sorry Nora, but I gotta go talk to Chris. I'll talk to you later."

Waving them goodbye, I rushed over to where Chris and the others were. I knew that Nora has a lot of things to do, like dragging Ren around to get a few things in the stands. I didn't feel like stalling them from doing what they want to do, so leaving them was the best choice. Once I got to them, Tej was seen on the stage where the Karaoke was being performed.

"Alright everyone," Tej began an announcement. "I hope you all are having an awesome Race Day? Now, since we're at the end of the night, I would like to give a huge shout out to our race winners. For the lunch race, we have our champions Chris Hunter and Ruby Rose, the brother-sister combo race team."

Everyone cheered over what he said, chanting our names in the process. I blushed a bit over the cheering, embarrassed over the praise. Tej broke us out of the chant as he continued his announcement.

"Anyways, I have a very special treat for a certain Sky Marshal. Our next karaoke singer was a girl born on Earth, whisked away to the planet Remnant, and returned home with the planet's representatives. Our next singer… is Neo Hazard."

He got off the stage after saying his speech, and we were all surprised to hear Neo's name. Last thing we know, she was supposed to be training with mom's replacement on how to handle the katana, and now she's here in the Central Plaza? We all saw her getting on the stage with a whole different attire: Her tops consisted of a short brown tank top that revealed her stomach, with a bright pink and white vest covered in glitter. Her pants were the same color as the vest, and the boots were all mostly pink with a few gems reflecting the light. She slowly got to the center of the stage and bowed her head to the crowd, and the sound of music began to play.

(**A/N: cue Ayumi Hamasaki – Progress**)

"This is for my boyfriend, who won the first race of the day," Neo said as the song began its first set of lyrics.

"Tanjun na hibi wo osoreteita no wa mou tooi mukashi,  
fukuzatsu na hibi koso kanashii no wo shitteru,  
modoritai to ka janakute shinjitai kokoro ga hora,  
senaka de sakenderu machigatte nanka inai yotte.

Onaji toki wo kizande onaji mirai shinjiteru futari,  
kinou no namida mo kyou no egao mo shinjitsu na mama,  
onaji itami wo shitte onaji yasashisa mochiyotta,  
ashita wo ikite yukeru tsuyosa ni kaeteyuku kara."

As she finished the first set of lyrics, the song itself started to pick up with the sound of guitars and drums. Everyone began to shout out in enjoyment over her, and to be honest, I found that Neo's singing voice was amazing. I even saw Weiss looking at her with wide eyes, and then looked to see the girl dancing on point with the music, finishing with a smooth hand motion to continue the song.

"Ano toki ni ano basho ni ite tatakatteita jibun ga,  
subete wa ima wo erabu tame datta to shita nara,  
mukiaezu okizari na mama me wo sorashiteita kako wo,  
yurushitai to omou no wa yurusaretai kara na no ka na.

Bokura ga tada jiyuu de irareta ano koro wa tookute,  
mujaki na egao dake ja kono koro wa sugosenai kedo,  
bokura wa susundeyuku soredemo susumi tsuzuketeku,  
nani ka wo shinjirareru kokoro ga nokotteiru kara."

Everyone was cheering even louder as Neo went back into a dancing like state, even going so far as to chant her name now. I even caught Weiss chanting her name along with the crowd, while everyone else was waving around what looked like glow sticks in the air. As they continued to do this, Neo began singing again.

"Nee bokura wa kore made datte kore kara date,  
ooku no koto wo nozondari wa shinai yo."

The music then died down a little, still keeping the tempo the whole song. Neo slowly walked forward over to the edge of the stage before finishing up the song itself.

"Onaji toki wo kizande onaji mirai shinjiteru futari,  
kinou no namida mo kyou no egao mo shinjitsu na mama,  
onaji itami wo shitte onaji yasashisa mochiyotta,  
ashita wo ikite yukeru tsuyosa ni kaeteyuketa nara kitto."

As she finished the last lyric of the song, the music continued to play until it ended a few seconds later. Everyone was still calling out her name as she made her way off the stage, hoping that she would sing an encore. I have to say though, if Neo could start a career as a singer for the rest of her life, I know that I would be there to purchase any album she'll release. I then saw that my brother was happy to hear her sing, and I thought I saw a small tear coming from his eyes. In any case, today was pretty much the start of an awesome field trip.

* * *

**A/N: I really need to start getting more active in releasing chapters, cause I hate it when my time was preoccupied from playing video games, working, and anything else that comes my way. But I have to say that I'm happy with how this chapter came out, despite the writer's block impeding my progress every so often. Add in the fact that I bought the First Saints Row on the Xbox Live marketplace, and you got yourself a lazy ass writer: me.**

**Writing this chapter was a little challenging on my part, as it is probably one of my longer ones. I'll still do what I can to explain a few things that happened in the chapter. At the moment where Chris, Mario and Summer stopped to have a casual talk, I literally had to think about what kind of dialogue I should put in. It went on and on, until I decided to put in the fact that Glynda Goodwitch passed out during the race, and that they mentioned Akuji. I was going to put in Shogo Akuji as the one being referenced, but I went against it. As for Nora and Ren, I have to have something about her being an accomplished pancake eating champion. I mean, the girl could actually eat 500 pancakes if she could. Lastly, I had Neo come in at the end as a surprise to the cast singing Progress. The song itself was used as the opening theme for Tales of Xillia, and I fell in love with it. As for the lyric, you would have to thank for it.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review, and I'll be a happy man.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	17. 17: CRDL Vs Genki

**A/N: Did I say that I had an idea regarding CRDL's humiliation? Yeah, I did, and I decided to put it before the tournament. This has been plaguing my mind ever since I started coming up with more ideas for the field trip arc, begging to be published. Since it still plagues me now, I have decided to get it typed and published. **

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Saint's Tower, Gizmon City**

**7:21 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 18****th****, 4021**

Last night has been a whole lot crazier after I won the race with Ruby, and I don't know what to say anymore. One of the most obvious reasons was Nora beating a pancake eating competition with five hundred pancakes. But the one thing that shocked me the most was Neo when she performed one of my favorite J-Pop songs. She even sang it with a perfect tone that made me love her even more. I hate to say it, but Neo was a whole lot better than Yang.

Going over the information I have right now, I have found out that the TiR tournament won't be commencing until the 20th, giving the Beacon teams enough time to explore Gizmon City. However, I was woken up earlier today due to the sounds of Cardin bullying Velvet again, and I had to restrain myself from killing the bastard. The sounds kept going until it died down for a while, but it did wake up Neo in the process.

"Morning, Chris," she said to me as she walked over to the fridge. "Were you woken up by those noises too?"

"Yup, and its driving me crazy," I replied back to her. "It sucks that I can't go over and shoot him in the head. Right now, I'm looking over what we're going to be doing until the TiR tournament starts up. However, thanks to the noise, I can't seem to concentrate."

"Well, if there is something that we can do to embarrass Cardin, I think we better use it," she pointed out before asking. "You know a way to embarrass a team of Huntsmen-in-Training?"

That got me into thinking about a certain event. Sprinting over to the cabinet, I dug into the shelf to find something. Neo was looking at me, confused as to what I am doing. I kept looking in the drawer until I pulled out a flyer. The sheet itself was a promotional advertisement for a certain murdercat. Looking at the number on the flyer, I grabbed my phone and dialed it, eventually connecting me to the other speaker.

"_Hello, this is Professor Genki, manager of the Super Ethical Reality Climax_," the mad scientist spoke in the phone. "_Chris Hunter, the champion of Genkibowl, to what do I owe the pleasure?_"

"Hey Genki, I was actually calling in for a favor," I answered. "You see, I have a group of people who has been bullying a friend of mine simply because she's a Beastkin. Anyways, I was hoping if you could set up a very special event that would not only gain more views, but embarrass the hell out of them in the process."

"_So you have a bunch of racists that needs to learn a lesson? I think I can set up something that will have them pissing their pants. All I need is the names of the racists._"

"Oh, of course," I stopped to look at Glynda's attendance sheet. "The racists are Cardin Winchester, Russell Thrush, Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark. When you have it set up, crank up the difficulty."

"_Oh, I'll do more than that. I'll be making an appearance as well._"

"Ok, that will work. Thanks Genki. I'll talk to you later… Bye." I hung up the phone to see Neo looking confused. "Neo, it's time that team CRDL got a wakeup call."

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**In Front of Genki's, Gizmon City**

**11:49 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 18****th****, 4021**

Cardin and his team never expected that a message from Professor Genki somehow ended up on their scrolls, surprised to know that he knew all about them. To surprise them even more, Genki officially sent them an invite to participate in his Super Ethical Reality Climax. They were pondering on whether to accept this invitation or not, but after a heated debate and a vote, they all decided to go and take on Genki's challenge.

They were seen looking over the building where the show will be held. To them, it looked a lot worn down than the rest of the building. Stains of blood were seen as a decoration on the walls, while the words "Murder Time, Fun Time" were plastered on the banner. They took one more look before one of them spoke up.

"Uh, guys," Russell started it up. "I don't know about you, but I think the invitation is a trap."

"What are you talking about," Cardin asked his teammate, annoyed at the tone he used. "What would make you think that this is a trap?"

"Well, a number of reasons actually. The banner clearly states 'Murder Time, Fun time,' I can see blood on the walls, and did I forget to mention that the cat head over there looks menacing?"

"Oh, quit being a baby, Russell," Dove kicked in to the conversation. "Don't forget that we are the most qualified team to take on this challenge. Besides, I have a feeling that these things are for show."

"Exactly what Dove said," Cardin said to the mohawk haired man. "We'll show those wannabes in RWBY and JNPR that CRDL is clearly the better team. They think they can protect the world from Grimm when they clearly can't put on makeup right. A team like us is more likely to graduate Beacon, while those chumps will easily be expelled because of their idiocy."

The doors leading inside Genki's building was opened, and two armored Ultor Masako units came out to greet them. To CRDL, the Masako units looked more like a SWAT team from hell, sent to deliver them to their deaths. The Masako stopped in front of them and greeted the team.

"You must be the kids we heard about," the unit on their left spoke up. "We have heard all about you four, apparently being racists to pass the time. Due to his good nature, the professor has decided that you shall be participating in his game show."

"However," the one on the right added in. "In order to compete, you will have to give up your weapons. The gameshow will provide you with the necessary weapons needed to survive."

Cardin and his team reluctantly gave up their weapons, handing them over to the Ultor security. They also felt a tingling sense, and saw that the Masako were shutting down their aura.

"This is so you won't have an advantage over your opponents," the left soldier said to them. "If you had that in the game, the people would be calling you cheaters. By shutting them down, you will be on even ground. Now move along."

The command echoed in their heads as CRDL made a move towards the elevators. The inside of the building was a lot worse than the outside, revealing more bloodstains on the walls and on the floors. Russell thought that his stomach was tying itself into a knot when seeing the stains, but was afraid of what will happen next. As they got to the elevator doors, they noticed a note along with four KA-1 pistols. They grabbed the handguns and skimmed through the note that said:

_Team CRDL,_

_These weapons will be your starting choice. As you make your way to the prize room, your opponents will try to stop you. Don't worry about the ammunition, as there are ammo belts available for you. And, if you get to the very end of my Super Ethical Reality Climax, you will get a very special prize._

_Sincerely,_

_Professor Genki. XD_

Cardin and his team all looked at each other, wondering what the prize could be. The doors to the elevator instantly opened up as they dropped the letter, making them go inside it. It then started descending down, allowing CRDL to gather their thoughts.

"OK team," Cardin started out. "It seems this Genki guy has a special prize waiting for us at the end. All we have to do is beat the crap out of anyone that gets in our way, and that prize will be ours. It's about damn time we show those wimps in the other teams that we're better than them."

"Cardin, I still think it's a bad idea," Russell spoke up. "I mean, what if the prize Genki mentioned is a trap?"

"Don't listen to the old woman," CRDL's leader said, getting a glare from his teammate. "This prize better be a lot of cash. If it is, then we'll be a whole lot richer. Guys, this will be a piece of…" the sound of the elevator doors, accompanied by the sound of readied firearms caused the man to look behind him, seeing an army of mascots pointing their guns at the team. "…cake."

(**A/N: cue Prof. Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax theme**)

The mascots took the silence as a cue to start shooting, causing CRDL to take cover in the elevator. Their weapons were ranged from handguns to assault rifles, and their aim was kept at the center of the elevator. Cardin was looking for a way to form a plan when he heard a familiar voice in the intercoms.

"_Hello everyone, and welcome to a special episode of Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax,_" the voice of someone they know said. "_As you all know, I am the host of this event, Chris Hunter, and along with me is my lovely girlfriend and fellow co-host, Neo Hazard. Neo, what do we have in store for everyone today?_"

"_Well Chris,_" another voice, belonging to Neo, was heard on the intercoms next. "_Today, we will be looking over the progress of team CRDL, a group of people from Remnant who thinks they are the top dogs, but in reality, they're nothing more than pussies. We'll see if they have what it takes to take on the mad cat's latest challenge._"

"MAD CAT," Cardin shouted out. "DOES THAT MEAN THAT GENKI IS A FILTHY FAUNAS?"

With his rage in hand, Cardin jumped out of his hiding place and began shooting the mascot army. Some of the bullets he fired landed in a few heads, while the others hit the surrounding walls and barricades. One stray bullet hit one of the many targets mounted on the walls, and the sound of a crying baby and the saying 'Unethical' was heard.

"_Ooh, looks like Cardin became more of an asshole and shot a Sad Panda target,_" Chris commented, causing Cardin to look around confused. "_That was really unethical on his part. I guess he forgot that he only needs to shoot at the mascots and the Angry Tiger targets. Hitting Sad Pandas will only lower their score._"

The CRDL leader saw the remains of a target that one of his bullets, piecing together the picture of a crying panda. His teammates slowly joined up with him after exchanging gunfire, motioning him to continue the game show. As they progressed further, more mascots appeared before them and continued their assault, only to be gunned down by the Beacon team.

"_Well, seeing as how they are progressing rather well, I was thinking about starting a conversation,_" Neo was heard, trying to distract the contestants. "_Chris, what are your thoughts about the idea of having a family?_"

"_Really Neo,_" CRDL heard Chris asking, maintaining their focus on the incoming mascots. "_We're watching CRDL get their asses handed by the mascots, and you're bringing that up?_"

"_Well, I was just thinking over the possibilities of us moving our relationship further,_" Neo pouted on the intercom. "_I mean, right now we're ok with the way things are, but I was just wondering, if you ever want to move it further, you know I'm ready for it._"

"_Since you brought it up, the thought did come to mind. However, if we do push our relationship further, we're going to need mom's blessing._"

They couldn't believe what they were hearing. Here they are, shooting down mascots with KA-1 pistols, and they're hearing Chris and Neo talking about starting a family. However, Russell was the one nodding to the conversation, seeing as how he's the only one out of CRDL who thinks differently. As they got further in the game, they saw the entrance with the words 'Prize Room' etched on the wall. Cardin, Dove and Sky were excited to get over there, only for them to stop and see a strange person.

That person was Professor Genki. His attire consisted of the usual scientist attire, complete with the white lab coat and work clothes. What stands out the most was that his head wasn't a normal, human head, but a giant cat head with a sadistic smile plastered on it. To complete the attire, Genki has big pink feet and a tail to show that he wasn't human.

"Well, Team CRDL," Genki started up. "It looks like you have made it to the finish line. I would like to congratulate you all for making it this far."

"Wait a minute," Cardin said, getting a closer look at the mad cat. "This is Professor Genki? He's nothing but a filthy animal."

That saying caused a vein to pop in Genki's head. "If I am a filthy animal, then explain the prize that I'm about to give you?"

"Cash," CRDL's leader asked, only to see the murder cat pull out two miniguns behind his back. The miniguns' designs were colored in Genki's signature colors, with his slogan plastered on the barrels. With great strength, the mad cat aimed his weapons over to the now cowering team.

"Your prize… is a fight with yours truly. Don't you feel blessed?"

After saying that, Genki open fired his guns at CRDL, who wasted no time in finding a hiding place in the arena. Despite the bland appearance of the miniguns, Cardin knew that he was no match against the insane professor. He looked over to his side to see Dove and Sky struggling, getting hit with the bullets Genki's firing.

"Damn it," he cursed out. "This would be a lot easier if I had my mace on me. I hate to say this, but I'm starting to think that Russell's right."

Genki continued his barrage on the unfortunate team, keeping his opponents pinned with his weapons. His smile grew as he hit some of the flesh on two of the unlucky contestants, but it grew even wider as he stopped firing. Without thinking, he slowly raised his foot as it started to glow in an earth brown light.

"QUAKE BREAKER!"

He slammed his foot on the ground as fierce as possible, causing the ground underneath Cardin's team to give out. Stalagmites rose underneath their feet, hitting them and launching them into the air. All that they saw after that was a very happy Genki before his miniguns fired again, knocking them unconscious.

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Saints Tower, Gizmon City**

**17:23 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 18****th****, 4021**

"So in the end, CRDL got their asses handed by Professor Genki? Man, I should have been there to see it."

I told everyone about the events of CRDL's participation in Professor Genki's game show, and their reactions were expected. Yang was laughing her ass off over the news, Blake was nodding her head in satisfaction, Weiss was dumbstruck and Ruby… was more interested in the mad cat's miniguns. I also told them that Genki allowed me and Neo to spectate in the game show, since the original hosts Zack and Bobby were on vacation. Still, they were happy that CRDL got some punishment, even if it was from a sadistic murder cat.

"I don't think that will be a problem, Yang," I said to her after she recalled everything. "Genki was kind enough to have the whole event recorded. I was thinking that when we get back, I'll send it to everyone in Beacon. Hell, I'll even send it to Ozzy."

"I do not think that will be appropriate," I heard Glynda speak up behind me, causing me to look at the strict professor. "While your cause was just, it did end up having them covered in bandages. Next time you plan something, inform me first."

"Oh relax," I said back in a relaxed tone. "At least the bullets in Genki's miniguns were BBs. Even he's not that heartless." That only gave me a glare from Goodwitch. "Well, ok, he does go out in the streets without supervision and go on a murder spree so grand that Johnny would be jealous. But at least he was able to give those guys a lesson they'll never forget."

"And what lesson would that be," she asked me, her glare increasing in intensity.

"Never call Genki a filthy animal again."

* * *

**A/N: I think that CRDL will not be messing with any Faunas or Beastkin anymore, unless they want to enact the wrath of the insane Professor Genki and his Super Ethical Reality Climax.**

**Surprisingly, this chapter only took the span of a few days to type up for me, since I replayed the images of this chapter in my head during my time at home and at work, whereas other would take a week or two due to both laziness and writer's block. Then there was the internal planning of an AU where the RWBY characters take the Fast and the Furious character's place. Despite that, I want to focus more on this, the next fic set after Remnant Crisis, and the fic depicting the life of Summer Rose that was shown in this and the prequel fic Change of Existence.**

**The next set of chapters will be the TiR tournament in Fortune City, and I am planning on who Chris and Pyrrha will be facing. The matches will be one on one, and the qualifying matches will be Pyrrha vs General Scales and Chris Hunter against someone from his past.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review, and I'll be a happy man.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	18. 18: Terror is Reality

**A/N: Tournament time has come and everyone is ready to see the carnage. Now that means that the next few chapters will be the one on one matches that both Hunter and Pyrrha will go through. Over time, they will eventually run into Mistral, one of Desperado's captains. Until they do, they will be going up against the veterans of the TiR tournament.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Weiss Schnee POV**

**Fortune City**

**10:14 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

It has been almost a month since we have last came to this city, and I have to say that things have slightly calmed down a bit. From seeing Blake going up against zombies to fighting a fifty foot mech, we seemed to have a few dark memories from simply being here. Despite that, the air in Fortune City seems to be a nice welcoming feeling, and we're back here to see a tournament here on Earth.

Apparently, Remnant isn't the only place that holds a sport like the tournaments, as Earth's game show Terror is Reality is holding one today. From what I heard from the Saints, this particular tournament is home to a lot of veterans. From generals to pirates to even UNSC officials, Terror is Reality is making a lot of money from showing the fights. And to make things even stranger, Chris and Pyrrha are planning to participate. I better hope that this trip was worth it.

We all walked over to the Fortune City Park on our way to the arena, and I was surprised to see the damage that Shadow Rose did slowly repair. That was a really tough day on Ruby, since it was Shadow Rose who grabbed her weapon and plunged it through her body. She was able to recover and become her old self thanks to Chris, and now she knows what to expect in the future. I took one more glance over the park until Chris decided to speak up.

"Alright everyone," he started his announcement. "Welcome to Fortune City, one of Earth's entertainment playgrounds. This city is one of the planet's many casino towns, and it has a lot to offer in terms of entertainment. There is the amusement park Uranus Zone, the many casinos that is the Slot Ranch, Yucatan, Atlantica and Americana, and the Fortune City arena. Along with those, the city is connected via shopping mall, so if you want to check it out, go ahead. However, our destination is the arena itself, since the tournament will be held there."

"I'm sorry to even ask this," I heard Professor Goodwitch ask the Sky Marshal. "But what is the purpose of these tournaments? Do the people here have some cultural gathering, similar to the Vytal festival?"

"Not quite," he answered her. "The Terror is Reality Tournament is an event that occurs when Ultor is running low on zombies. Until they stock up, they hold the tournament to see who the strongest fighter is. They return to doing what they do best when they have a sufficient amount of zombies to use."

"Zombies, huh," Sun spoke up now. "I bet that they are a type of monster that wonders the wilds, right."

"Again, no. Zombies were an attempt to create a powerful bio-weapon for wartime. However, due to an unprecedented event, a virus was set loose in Raccoon City, causing the dead to rise up. The dead then go to where the living is, and spread the virus onto the people through a bite. Those that were bitten usually take their own lives, preventing themselves from turning into zombies."

"So the zombies are actually people," the blonde professor asked again.

"Used to be, more like it," Chris answered again. "Zombies are basically just walking corpses, but with the way they are, scientists decided to classify them as undead type monsters."

We continued to walk over to where the arena was located, and Chris was answering any questions related to Terror is Reality. I never paid it any mind, since I have seen Blake fight off against a horde of undead a month ago. Instead, I have been taking in the surroundings. True to his word, the city is built to act as a playground for the people. I continued to observe when I bumped into someone.

"Sorry, madam," I looked over to see a middle aged man, wearing what looks to be a black and yellow ninja garb. "I didn't mean to bump into you like that."

"No, it was my fault," I said to the man. "I should have paid careful attention to where I was going."

"A common mistake," he said to me. "Many people are intrigued with what they have seen for the first time."

"Well, to me, it's my second time here," I bluntly stated. "I'm actually here to watch the tournament."

"Ahh, the Terror is Reality tournament." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm actually going to participate in it. The pride of the Shirai-Ryu depends on it."

"Ok then," I said questioningly. "Anyways, I have to go. I don't want to miss my friends signing up."

The man bowed to me as I left, and I have to wonder if he's someone important here. I never got too far behind from the others during my talk, but it was hard to find them in a crowd. Since they were heading for the arena, I made my way over there without incident, eventually passing through the front doors. I then went to search the inside for anything resembling them, and sure enough, they were at the front desk.

"Ok, seeing as how we already have your information, you can go ahead and get ready, Sky Marshal Hunter," the receptionist told Chris as I finally caught up to them, seeing Pyrrha approaching the man. "And you would be?"

"Oh, my name is Pyrrha Nikos," the redhead introduced herself. "I'm actually applying for the tournament."

"Fill up the sign in sheet, then," the man told her, passing a registration form and a pen to her. She took the pen and, after observing the requirements, began filling out the sheet. When she was done, she passed it back to the receptionist. He gave it one good look before looking at the Mistralian.

"Ok Ms. Nikos," he spoke up. "You are all set to go. Just follow the Sky Marshal here. He'll show you where to go."

She nodded at the guy before leaving us behind, catching up to where Chris was. We know that Chris has been in Terror is Reality many times before we first came to Earth, So we know she's better off going with him to the change rooms. As we saw them leave us, we decided to go and get to the stands, only for one person to come up to Blake.

"Excuse me, but are you Blake Belladonna, the girl who almost beat Sky Marshal Hunter's score weeks ago," the person, a young boy, asked.

"Uhh, yeah, that's me," Blake answered him. "Was there something that you needed?"

"Um, yeah." The kid started to blush a little before handing a picture of her. "Can I have your autograph? I am a huge fan of you, despite that time being your first participation."

Blake smiled at him before grabbing the sheet and signed her name on it, handing it back after she was done. He had on him a smile, meaning that he was happy to get an autograph from my teammate. When he disappeared into the crowd, we continued on our way over to our seats, intending to see the battles that will happen.

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**Fortune City Arena**

**11:29 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

I couldn't believe my eyes once again. All around the large arena, people were frantically fighting to get their desired seats, and the sound of music was getting the crowd pumped. Luckily, mom was able to reserve some front row seats, giving us a closer look at the fights. I'm not entirely sure, but the look on Neo's face shows that she's worried about Chris, while Jaune himself was praying for Pyrrha to win the tournament.

Dark-Greymon finally came back after going to get us some snacks, surprising us all when he carried a large box carrying popcorn, chocolate and sodas. One by one, he passed the food over to each and every one of us, making sure that we all got what we wanted. When he finished, the lights in the arena dimmed out until it was complete darkness.

"_Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to another special event of Terror is Reality,_" we heard the intercoms. "_Unlike our normal, zombie slaying carnage, we are proud to announce that TiR is now hosting this year's tournament. As always, I am your host, Zack Martin, and here with me is the man himself, Bobby Morenoz. Bobby, what can we expect in the tournament today?_"

"_Well Zach, I think it is pretty obvious about who we're going to see,_" a gruff voice was heard next. "_Like always, the TiR tournament will be jammed packed with powerful warriors, sadistic psychos, to honor bound ninjas. However, it's never complete without the Blazing Dragon himself, Chris Hunter._"

"_That's right, folks. Chris Hunter, the UNSC Sky Marshal himself has entered yet again to take on the finest that we have to offer. Despite his age, he accomplished a lot of things._"

"Hey, Summer," Neo spoke up to mom. "Why is it that they call Chris 'The Blazing Dragon?"

"It's because of his Spirit, Helios," she answered back to the ice-cream themed girl. "Helios is one of the many Spirits of fire that takes the form of a dragon. It's because of him that my son has control over flames."

"It's also because of his Chromatus too," Dark-Greymon added in. "Thanks to the Spirit Chronos, Hunter can change his appearance into that of a dragon. Those facts make him a lot stronger."

"_Well, I think it's about time we get the show on the road,_" we all heard Bobby on the intercoms as head lights came on and shine on the stage, where a man was seen rising from the ground. "_As always, the show is never complete without the true host of Terror is Reality._"

"_Of course Bobby,_" Zach spoke up after his friend. "_Give up a round of applause to the man that helps shape the world of Rap music, and our announcer himself, XHIBIT!_"

The man on the stage raised his hands up in the air, and the crowd, including us, shouted out in a synchronized cheer. He then grabbed a microphone and waited for us to die down first. When we did, he began his speech, the same one he used last time when Blake was a contender.

"Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for a new round of TERROR?" he gained a loud cheer for an answer. "Cause tonight, we're going to give it to you. Now, unlike our normal schedule, Ultor has decided to hold the tournament due to the zombies' dwindling numbers here. However, that doesn't mean that the fun won't be seen, as we have a large array of fighters ready to duke it out."

The screen behind him slowly rose to show a large group of people standing in line, all facing the center of the arena. All of us noticed that some of them weren't even human, but could still hold their own in a fight. Chris was there in his Spartan armor, standing beside someone who looked like a yellow ninja. Pyrrha was also standing with the other contestants, showing off a genuine smile that says 'I know I'm here to fight, but we can be friends later on.'

"From feisty generals of the feral Sharpclaw tribe, to honor bound members of the Shirai-Ryu, we are bound to keep you all entertained," the announcer said. "And to make things more interesting, we have a new face joining us today. Hailing from the distant colony world of Remnant, I bring you, PYRRHA NIKOS!"

The headlights in the arena began to shine on the Spartan girl of JNPR, causing her to become a little nervous. For a three time Mistralian champion on Remnant, she is a little embarrassed when the crowd cheered for her. The announcer went and pointed the mic over to the redhead, signalling her to speak

"Oh, um," Pyrrha stuttered on the mic. "Well, I hope that we all have a pleasant time here, and I hope that you can root for me."

"Oh, please," the headlights shifted over to the speaker, a green lizard wearing tribal armor. "There is no way in hell that you're going to survive this tournament. You look like you won't be able to move past the first round. Why won't you just do us all a favor and just forfeit already."

"Is that what you call encouraging the competition here," she retorted to the monster. "Cause I have to say that you're really doing a _good_ job at it. Do you always say that to the others?"

"Hell no, only to those that look week. And another thing, if you're from the distant world of Remnant, then why am I sensing mana coming out of you?"

"You can thank Professor Rose for the mana vials," she answered it.

"Rose? Now where have I heard that name before…? Oh yeah, it belonged to that one girl who killed her shadow. Yeah, her name… it was Ruby Rose. To think that there is someone who was related to the young one. Those two look more promising than you, Nikos."

His statement only caused her to smirk. "Then you have missed out on one fact. Ruby, Professor Rose, those two are related to the Blazing Dragon himself, Chris Hunter. And she's teaching us on how to properly use artes. If you think that you can beat me," she paused to point her finger at the lizard, "then I think we should settle this first. You against me, once and for all."

"Now that's a warrior's cry for battle," the lizard rejoiced. "Then that means that you're my opponent in the qualifiers. Just so you know, you will fear the power of General Scales of the Sharpclaws. If you ever win our fight, which I doubt, then I will acknowledge you as a worthy fighter for Terror is Reality."

The crowd began to chant out over the battle initiation that the lizard, Scales, announced. I wasn't really happy with what he had said to Pyrrha, going so far as to give him a death glare from my seat. It wasn't enough for me to go out and break his legs like Nora, but I really want to go up to him and beat him to a pulp like Yang. I know that Pyrrha can handle herself though, so all I can do is cheer her on.

* * *

**A/N: I had to build up the tension between Scales and Pyrrha, so the first match will be underway.**

**The Tournament is now underway, and I have to point out that I will try to flesh out the fights in more detail. I noticed that the previous fights I have typed were too quick, so the tournament chapters will be an attempt to type more fleshed out battles. I know I haven't been called out for that, so I'm doing it myself and help look into what to do to enhance the chapters further.**

**Also, the man that Weiss spoke to was Hanzo Hasashi, Scorpion himself**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review, and I'll be a happy man.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	19. 19: Sharpclaw

**A/N: How will Pyhhra handle someone who happens to be a walking Dinosaur? The tournament is now underway, and I know I have some explaining to do. For these chapters, I will be typing the name of an artist and song, as it will fit the fights themselves. I'm going for Dead Rising logic: Every boss fight, or in this case: battles, should be accompanied by a song that fits the atmosphere. Also, for General Scales' accurate appearance, I point you over to a Star Fox wiki page where a picture is present. Oh, and before I forget, it will told in third person.**

**Song Preference: Blue Stahli – Takedown (Normal and/or XINA Version)**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Terror is Reality Tournament, Fortune City**

**11:59 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

General Scales' declaration of battle grabbed everyone's attention already, and the crowd was cheering over one of the two combatants. Many of the people were rooting for the Sharpclaw to win, while another half of them were placing bets on Pyrrha's victory. Ruby and the group from Beacon were on that half, hoping that she'll teach Scales a lesson he'll never forget.

The doors on the arena walls began to open, revealing the warrior girl and the Sharpclaw respectively. Pyrrha Nikos was wearing her traditional armor, complete with her Javellin Milo and her shield Akouo. Her opponent was carrying a traditional Scimitar with ancient writing on the flat end, and one of his hands resembled more of a hook-claw. The dino took one more look at Pyrrha, studying her to see what move to make.

"_Here we are folks,_" Zach was heard. "_The Terror is Reality tournament has officially begun, and already we have a battle set up. On one side of the arena, we have Pyrrha Nikos, a girl from the world of Remnant who happens to be a three time champion in their tournaments. As for her opponent, he is the leader of the colony planet Sauria's Sharpclaw tribe, as well as a representative of the United Council: General Scales._"

"_That's right everyone, and to think, we never got around to announcing their match as Scales himself challenged Pyrrha,_" Bobby added in. "_The Sharpclaw leader saw fit to challenge her to see if she is TiR material, and if she wins, he'll consider her a worthy foe._"

"Well, girlie," Scales spoke up. "Are you ready to lose here in TiR?"

"Are you referring to me, or to yourself," she asked back, raising Milo at her opponent. "Cause I have a feeling that you'll be the one to fall."

That comment only made Scales more psyched up, as he crouched down to release the mana stored in his body. An earth brown light began to emanate around his body, only increasing when his mana output began to let loose.

"Releasing Control Arte restriction system to level 0," he said out loud. "Burst and Mystic Artes enabled for full use. Love, you have made a _Grave_ mistake of challenging me."

(**A/N: cue music**)

Right after saying that, Scales immediately dashed towards Pyrrha, reaching her with his scimitar. She wasted no time in blocking it with Akouo, only to see the Sharpclaw swipe his hand at her. Barely avoiding it, she moved her head back a bit, kicking the lizard in the process. Scales only recoiled a bit after receiving a blow before charging in again. The Spartan girl brought her shield to block his attack, only to get swatted to the side by his tail.

"PYRRHA," Jaune shouted out in the stands, seeing her fly right into a wall. "Damn it, if this was a team battle, we could have mopped the floor with that guy."

"It doesn't work that way, Jaune," Dark-Greymon said to the blonde. "The tournaments are well known for being one on one fights. All you can do now is hope for her victory."

JNPR's leader went back to looking at the arena itself, seeing Scales approaching the smoke formed from Pyhhra's collision. He never got closer, as the sound of gunfire erupted and Dust bullets flew and collided with his body. The girl then appeared out of the smoke, charging at the confused dinosaur with the intent to strike. Getting close enough, she began to swing Milo at Scales' defenses, landing a few blows on his body.

"_Well Bobby, it looks like the new girl is proving to be quite the challenge for the Sharpclaw leader_," Zach was heard on the intercoms as Pyrrha continued her assault. "_If this keeps up, we might actually see her move on to the next round._"

"_I can definitely see that, Zach,_" Bobby said to his coworker. "_However, Scales isn't out of the fight just yet. Before he began his barrage of attacks, he released his own control arte restriction system, allowing him to use his burst and mystic artes. Along with that, but the usage of powerful earth spells may give him more of an advantage_."

True to Bobby's word, Scales' body began to glow an earth brown light again, causing him to retreat from Pyrrha's attacks. She was about to approach him and keep the distance, but was forced to rethink when a glyph appeared underneath his feat. She made out what appears to be an enchantment from Scales, but was too late to move when he summoned a stalagmite to hit her. She was launched in the air from Scales' spell, using it to her advantage by shifting Milo into a shotgun. Aiming at his center, Pyrrha opened fire on the dino, with each shot hitting him on his stomach.

"That's right Pyrrha," Nora shouted out on the stands. "Show Lizard-guy who's boss."

"Nora, you need to calm down," Summer said to her student. "All she is doing is making Scales angrier. It won't be long until he uses more powerful artes."

Taking the chance, Pyrrha landed safely on the ground before charging at the staggered Sharpclaw. He had no time to parry her as she closed the gap between them and started slicing his body. Unable to keep his composure, he was left with no choice but to slash at her with his hook-claw, managing to scar her left cheek in the process. Pyrrha had no choice but to jump back and let her aura heal her scars.

"_Oh, my god, this is turning into a heated match here,_" Zach said in the intercom. "_It seems that Scales is definitely in to take down Pyrrha. It has been a while since we have seen him draw blood here in the tournament._"

"_It is a rare sight to see here, folks,_" Bobby followed up. "_In all of our years of commentating for Terror is Reality, none of us has ever seen Scales draw someone else's blood before. The main reason was that he could never get a clear hit on the Blazing Dragon, even with his restriction system fully released. Could this be a sign that Scales may actually reach the second round after all?_"

"_But then again, Pyrrha Nikos wasn't a TiR veteran like the others. This is her first time entering this tournament, but from what Champion Blake Belladonna told me, she has the power of Polarity. Back on Remnant, she used that power to make others believe that she was untouchable. All it took to change that outlook was an attack from Scales' hook-claw. It just shows that even with her amount of training, she could never prepare for the fighters present in Terror is Reality._"

"_But it doesn't look like she's here to back down Zach,_" Bobby said to his partner. "_Both of our fighters are out for blood. Scales may have drawn the first blood, but I have a feeling that Pyrrha will come out on top._"

Scales wasted no time in charging after Pyrrha, closing the gap between them and swinging his scimitar towards her side. She saw it coming before it even struck her, using Milo to block the attack as it came close. She never saw the surprise attack, as Scales wrapped his tail around her arm, causing her to release her javelin. Grinning, he lifted her from her arm and tossed her into a wall, satisfied to hear the sound of a cracked surface and the roars of the crowd.

` "Heh, I knew the girl was nothing more than talk," the dino said, approaching the area he tossed his opponent at. A sharp pain was felt on his back as he made his way, making him look back. To his surprise, Pyrrha's weapon pierced him while he was focused on the smoke. He was about to question it when the javelin removed itself from him, flying into the smoke and dispersing it to show a battered, but still standing Pyrrha.

She immediately threw Milo towards her opponent in the hopes of pinning Scales to the wall, only to see him parry it away. Not giving up though, she dashed forward towards him, getting close enough to kick him while he was focused on the javelin. Scales himself was too distracted in dealing with his opponent's moving weapon to register the kicks she's delivering, realizing that he fell for one of her tricks. Furious, he let out a battle cry loud enough, that not only did the energy built inside of him release itself, pushing Pyrrha away from him, but it also surrounded him in a bright red flame.

"_Oh no, this is not good for Ms. Nikos, ladies and gentlemen,_" the intercoms shouted out with Zach's voice. "_The Sharpclaw leader has unleashed the Over Limit. Not only does this make him powerful enough to shrug off the attacks, but he can now unleash his Burst and Mystic Artes._"

"Alright, girlie," Scales said to Pyrrha, who was struggling to get up. "You have made the worst mistake of pushing my limits. Now, it's time for you to lose."

He slowly made his way over to where the Spartan girl was, increasing his pace until it was a full on dash. She never saw an opening to strike, since the red flames that cover his body may prevent any damage done to him. What happened next was that when he got close to her, he slammed his fist on to the ground, causing the ground underneath her to give out. He then proceeded to jump and slam his sword three times on the cracks, creating stalagmites that slammed into Pyrrha's body each time. It wasn't over yet, since the glow around him grew, signalling everyone that Scales himself has initiated a mystic arte.

"Now… to end this drama with your demise…" He paused to jump in the air, as the mana from his body flew through to his feet. The feet then grew to an enormous size, akin to that of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. He then began his descent at a rapid pace, aiming towards Pyrrha with the intent to win the tournament round. "INDOMINUS CRASH!"

Everything happened quickly in a blink of an eye: Scales slammed his feet near Pyrrha, causing a massive shockwave that engulf the arena in a thick smoke. Everyone in the stands was silent, waiting to see the outcome of the Sharpclaw's mystic arte. Ruby, Jaune, and the rest of the teams from Beacon had their eyes wide open, unsure if the redhead could survive that. The silence was quickly replaced with a collective gasp from the crowd as the smoke began to clear, revealing Scales hunched over while standing on the debris. No sign of Pyrrha was present, leading everyone to believe that she was buried in the rubble. Jaune, Ruby and the others were completely shocked over this discovery.

"Well, I should have known that this would happen," Scales said, breathing heavily after the use of his mystic arte. "She should have listened to me and forfeit the tournament. Too bad she has to leave now in a body bag, or a stretcher if she's…" the sound of moving rocks caught his attention, "…lucky."

The ground underneath him suddenly gave out as boulders of all sizes slammed the dino's body, sending him in the air. He never saw it coming, but he was more surprised when he felt sharp stings on his torso. One look from the audience knew that the object dealing damage was Milo, Pyrrha's weapon, and that they knew that Scales set himself up for a beating. The javelin continued to stab him repeatedly until the redhead herself emerged from the rubble. All Scales saw was an emerald-eyed demon, before she swiftly kicked him the face and sent him flying to the wall. The crowd cheered for her as she landed on the ground, struggling to find her footing until she stood straight.

"_I can't believe it,_" Zach was heard again. "_Pyrrha Nikos, our newcomer here in Terror is Reality, has survived the onslaught of General Scales' mystic arte, Indominus Crash. Not only that, but she has surprised us all by using the terrain to her advantage to beat the Sharpclaw. I can't believe I'm saying this, but she is moving on to the second round."_

_ "Her experience in the tournaments at Remnant clearly shows that, despite the injuries sustained, she intends to move forward._" Bobby added in to Zach's speech."_Luckily, our team of medics, from trained doctors to masters of healing artes, are on their way now to patch our fighters. Needless to say, General Scales' tournament run this year has been cut short again, though this time; it was from the new girl, not the Blazing Dragon._"

Jaune and his team praised their partner over her victory over the dinosaur, but they were overcome by the cheers she's receiving. Pyrrha herself was surprised herself that she actually beaten her first opponent from a different world, then smiled as she raised her fist in the air. The crowd roared with more life as she did, only to go silent when they saw Scales limping towards her. All sense of pride was replaced with fear as the Spartan girl closed her eyes, only to feel a firm grip on her shoulders.

"Make it… to the finals," Scales said as she opened her eyes. "You… definitely have what it takes… to survive this tournament. And I… I took you… as some wannabe fighter… when really… you have the heart of a true warrior. Let me give you… one piece of advice: Brush up on artes… or else your time here…will end. If you ever make it… to the finals… do not attempt to win. The Blazing Dragon… is a fierce rival to be reckoned with."

After saying his words, the Sharpclaw winced in pain as he walked over to the opened doors, leaving behind a trail of blood in the process. The crowd once again began cheering out, chanting Pyrrha's name as she too made her way towards the exit. The sound of Jaune crying in happiness drew his friends to relax his nerves, but Ruby, Dark-Greymon and Summer knew that Chris' fight is coming up next.

* * *

After getting patched up in bandages and healing artes, Scales finally made it back to the locker room to gather up his belongings. He was however distracted when he saw a long bladed katana being shined, and the sight of a man readying himself for his tournament fight. The dino knew the man as Gaius, since he was able to point out the long jet black hair and dark crimson eyes. He also knows the secret the man possesses. He slowly approached the warrior to spark a conversation.

"Well, King Gaius," Scales said to him, getting a glare in the process. "It would appear that you were in fact right. I ended up losing to the new girl."

"Irrelevant," Gaius told him.

"I know, I know. So, you're going up against the Blazing Dragon, huh? You already know that you'll only lose, so why bother trying."

"If I don't face him, then my honor will be put into question," he said to the dino. "Besides, this way, I'll be able to test out my Kagutsuchi katana."

"Oh yeah, there seems to be a lack of your signature katana, the Shiranami. Well that does happen when you lend it to someone else."

Before he could say anything else, Scales felt a sharp edge touching his neck as Kagutsuchi was positioned for a killing blow. He looked over at Gaius to see any change in facial emotions, only to see the man giving him a serious face.

"Do not attempt to enrage me, Sharpclaw," Gaius told him. "Unless you want to die here today. I recommend that you pack up immediately, since you lost the first round yet again."

"Alright, alright," the dino conceded, relieved to see the blade move away from his neck. "Jeez, I almost lost my life to a girl who never used an arte, and now my life almost flashed by a guy who lived two millennia without even aging."

"It's because I'm cursed, Scales," he grabbed Scales' attention after saying that. "Because of this curse, I was forced to leave the woman I loved. I know that even now, she is watching over my every move."

"Then what was her name then?"

"Casey Hunter, but she prefers to be called Summer Rose," the king told him. "Do not speak of this to anyone, or else I'll send the Chimeriad to kill you in your sleep."

Finishing his little speech, Gaius left the dino alone as he went to the arena. Scales quickly placed two and two together, realizing that the Professor Rose that Pyrrha spoke of is the same person as the woman Gaius spoke of. Chuckling lightly, Scales packed up his belongings, looking at the hallway that led to the battleground.

"You're in for quite the surprise… Erston Outway," he said to the hallway. "That woman you spoke of is very much alive and well. When you retire from being king, try to act as a father to the Blazing Dragon."

* * *

**A/N: A little foreshadowing as to who will be Chris Hunter's opponent. How will Summer react when she sees Gaius?**

**I think I did a whole lot better when typing up this chapter's fight, considering that this was the first detailed one I have written up. Scale's way of fighting was actually difficult to picture, since in Star Fox Adventures, you never get the chance to actually battle him. I had to improvise his combat style, adding in a scimitar as his choice of weapon, and making up his mystic arte in the process. The Arte he performed before Indominus Crash, where he slammed his fist on the ground and creating stalagmites with his sword was in fact Divine Wolf – Crush, an altered burst arte of Divine Wolf.**

**Now I did say that in a previous chapter, Chris Hunter will fight someone who is connected to his past, but it will heavily be connected to Summer's.**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	20. 20: Erston Outway

**A/N: We have another match for you, and I think I have some explaining to do. Seeing as how Erston brought up a point that he left Summer due to his curse, I will be doing a backstory on her as its own fic. It will detail her life as Casey Hunter, her trials on Earth, how she met him, etc., etc. As for why I have Erston use a Kagutsuchi katana, I had him give Shiranami to Neo back on chapter 14, and Kagutsuchi was the first weapon I bought for him in Tales of Xillia 2 before the fight with Catalyst Wingull. It just felt better to give him the weapon he gets right after Shiranami.**

**Preferred song for this chapter: Tales of Xillia OST – Believe in oneself**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Terror is Reality Tournament, Fortune City**

**12:27 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

"_Well folks, that was a very heated battle in TiR history, but we have more for you to see,_" Zach announced over the intercoms. "_As Pyrrha moves on to the second round, many of our viewers have already started to form a fan club dedicated to her. However, the carnage has only just begun._"

"_That's right, her fight with General Scales was only the beginning of the TiR Tournament,_" Bobby included to the announcement. "_And now, we are proud to announce our next set of fighters. One of them is a battle-hardened Sky Marshal, and the other is the king of the UNSC colony Reize Maxia. Both of them are masters of the katana, but only one of them will make it to the next round._"

The doors of the arena slowly opened, one of them revealing Chris Hunter, complete with his Hayabusa Spartan armor. His silver eyes observed the arena as the crowd automatically cheered out his name in a deafening roar. He could make out the Beacon group before waving at Ruby, Neo and Summer, causing them to smile at his actions.

"_Here he is Bobby, the UNSC Sky Marshal, the Blazing Dragon himself is here to cause some major havoc here in the tournament,_" Zach commented in the intercoms. "_I have to wonder who he is waving at though._"

"_I can tell you that part Zach. Hunter is actually waving at his family, who was rumored to be reunited on November 26__th__. We have also learned that his mother and sister, who came from Remnant, are actually Earthborns. That means that they are in fact pure-blooded members of the Hunter Bloodline. However, that doesn't change him for who he is: A decorated Lieutenant in the Federation days, to the Sky Marshal of today. The only thing that's different now is that he's not alone anymore._"

Another set of doors suddenly started to open, revealing an older, more refined man. His attire consisted of the dress shirt and tie, covered in a vest and overlaid by a dark trench coat. His dress pants was shown to hold an fire emblem on the side, and the holster for his weapon was strapped to his back. Jet black hair flew freely as his dark crimson eyes scanned Hunter's form. The audience recognized him as Gaius, the King of Rieze Maxia, but Summer was shocked. To her, she's actually seeing the man she fell in love with two millennia: Erston Outway.

"No way," she whispered out, drawing Dark-Greymon's attention. "It can't be him. It can't be Erston."

"Summer, what's wrong," the Bio-weapon asked her. "You looked like you've seen a ghost."

"It's Erston," she bluntly stated, causing Dark-Greymon to look back at the arena. He remembered having a talk with Summer about her past, adding in the fact that she loved Erston Outway. He quickly put two and two together and realized that Gaius, the man Chris was facing in the tournament, is the father of both him and Ruby. His eyes widened at the realization and looked back at the young mother, who began to tear up.

"_That's right folks, the King of Rieze Maxia, Gaius himself, is here to take on the tournament,_" Bobby was heard from the intercom, causing those looking at Summer to return their gazes towards the arena. "_Normally, his highness would be too busy to even get in the tournament, but this year, he has volunteered in the hopes of taking down the Blazing Dragon. His weapon, Kagutsuchi, was shown to be his most favored, only falling short of his treasured Shiranami._"

Both men eyed each other for any possible movements, as well as any gaps in their defences to hit. Each of them are masters of using the katana, with Hunter being a duel swordsman and Gaius with the single blade. The crowd became silent over the tense atmosphere, only for Gaius to speak to his opponent.

"So it finally came down to this, Hunter. To think that we have to shed blood here for these people's entertainment."

"Then again," Chris said to him. "We do tend to fight all out. The tournament here is the perfect way to go all out."

(**A/N: cue music**)

In an instant, both of the contenders drew their weapons for the upcoming battle. The crowd continued to remain in silence as they saw them circling around the arena slowly. Eventually, the silence was immediately broken when a Demon Fang from Gaius and a Blazing Fang from Hunter collided, creating a shockwave that stunned the audience. Hunter used that opportunity to dash forward towards the king, closing the gap and swinging his katana at him. The sound of colliding metal called his attention to see Gaius blocking the strike with Kagutsuchi, so he adjusted his other katana and swiped at him again. Gaius saw it coming, using one of his hands to grab hold of the blade to prevent it from piercing his body. Not stopping, the older man swiftly kicked him away, sending the Sky Marshal towards the other end of the arena.

The crowd watched over the intensity of the battle, completely baffled over Hunter's struggle against the Rieze Maxian king. Summer however started to let out a few tears, her heart broken over what she thinks is a father-son death match. Dark-Greymon grew worried over his friend's safety, but is sure that he'll beat Gaius. Out of everyone, only Neo and Ruby grew more attached to the way the fight played out, going so far as to cheer for him.

Gaius still held onto one of Hunter's Blazing Masamunes, seeing it go up into flames before dispersing. He then looked back to where he launched Chris, only to see him charging with the Pyro Brawlers equipped. Adopting a different way of defense, Gaius shifted Kagutsuchi in a way that would block any attacks. He wasn't prepared for a surprise attack, since Chris took the opportunity to sidestep to his left and threw a few punches and kicks on the king. Chris didn't let up though, as he threw in a few Cerberus Strikes and a couple Flare Bombs. Gaius' only course of action was to release the built up energy his katana built up, and when his opponent landed a blow, Kagutsuchi shifted to move upwards, hitting the Sky Marshal in the center.

"_No way,_" Zach shouted out through the intercoms. "_After receiving that much punishment, Gaius was still able to push back the Blazing Dragon. His passive ability, Wrath, allowed him to build up the energy into his katana, and pushed it out when he slashed upwards on Hunter's body._"

"_That won't stop him, though_," Bobby added in. "_Hunter knows how to handle tough situations. Fighting psychopaths like Tartarus and Shadow Hunter has made the Blazing Dragon into who he is. An attack from Gaius won't faze him._"

Gaius dashed towards Hunter while he was backstep, eager to keep the gap between them closed. He then tilted Kagutsuchi for an upward diagonal strike, only for Hunter to block it with his gauntlet. The youngest of the two contestants raised his foot and struck the oldest face, following the hit with a Swallow Dance. He didn't stop there, for when Gaius was trying to recover; he unleashed a Rampaging Dragon arte to keep the king from making any moves. His body began to glow a fire red, indicating that he's about to use one of his mystic artes.

"Now then… the flames in my fists… shall guide me towards… the HEAVENS!"

He jump kicked Gaius over to the other side of the arena before appearing by his other side, punching and kicking with his flame-engulfed fists. He then pulled a Snap Pivot and attacked the Riexe Maxian king's other side, throwing in another barrage of punches, kicks and elbow strikes. Finishing up, his right hand began to build up large amounts of mana, depicted by the flame build up, and moves in for the final strike.

"SATSUGEKI… BUKOUKEN!"

With all of his might, he landed the blow on Gaius, sending him into walls of the arena. The whole audience was stunned to see Chris use a mystic arte early on in the match, but the shock turned into excitement as they roared out. Summer however was conflicted over what to do, since she knows that Gaius will get back up immediately. Everyone else was cheering for Chris to win the match already.

He quickly changed weapons back to his signature katanas, preparing himself for any surprise attacks from the Rieze Maxian king. He wasn't fully prepared, as spears of light shot off from where Gaius slammed the wall. Each of the spears went straight through the Sky Marshal, with the last one followed by Gaius' piercing strike. The king lifted him up in the air as he pierced his opponent's stomach, only to swiftly throw him off to the ground. He then followed the attack with two Swallow Furies, where he swiped Hunter off the ground with his sword and slashed him in the air. Ending his combo, he used his Pale Ghost arte, slamming Kagutsuchi on Hunter as he descended to the ground. All that was heard afterwards was the sound of the ground shattering, a body slammed hard on the ground and the swipe of a blade.

"Dammit," Summer cursed in her seat. "This isn't how I wanted to reunite with him."

"Mom," Ruby called out to her, looking concerned. "What's going on?"

The mother looks at her with tears in her eyes. "Ruby, that man that your brother is facing… he's your father."

Ruby looks back over to the ongoing battle, seeing Chris struggling to get up on his feet. She has seen him struggle with dangerous situations, from Shadow Hunter to Weiss' father, but she never thought she would see him losing to Gaius. She closed her eyes, giving a mental prayer for her brother to survive and win the fight against the king.

Hunter struggled yet again to get up on his feet after Gaius' Swallow Fury combo, but was interrupted when the older of the two pointed his katana over his neck. He took the chance to surprise his opponent when he swiped his own katana to knock Kagutsuchi away from him. With Gaius staggered, he quickly got back on his feet and began his retaliation attack with Dragon Swarm. It didn't take long for the king to react as Gaius initiated his own Dragon Swarm at Hunter, with some of the hits clashing their blades. The hits that got through scratched the surface of both men, leaving behind deep scars that bled out and forced them to backstep away from each other.

Gaius never gave up on his planned assault, as the mana built up in his body coursed into his blade. It resulted in Kagutsuchi being engulfed in a heavenly light that was dangerous to the touch, but spares the wielder of the pain. With it, Gaius charged forward towards Hunter with the sole intent of defeating him, and lunged his weapon straight through the Sky Marshal. His body began to glow a crimson red before tossing Hunter off of Kagutsuchi, signalling his mystic arte enchantment.

"Awaken! The inferno cries out… into OBLIVION!" He shouted out his incantation, creating and sending out a powerful shockwave that struck his opponent before jumping up. "ABSOLUTE DOMINATION!"

He sliced the suspended shockwave that held Hunter in the air, causing the energy to surge out and injure the young man in the process. The crowd was absolutely stunned over the fact that not one mystic arte was used, but two were initiated in the course of the fight. Out of everyone, only Ruby, Summer and Neo were horrified over what has occurred.

"_I can't believe this,_" Zach was heard over the intercom, sounding surprised. "_It seems that the Blazing Dragon is actually having more trouble with dealing with the King of Rieze Maxia. Even after suffering injuries of Final Fury, the mystic arte Hunter used with his Pyro Brawlers, Gaius still surprised us when he dished out more combos._"

"_Not only that, but he also unleashed his own mystic arte, Absolute Domination,_" Bobby added. "_I wouldn't be surprised if Chris Hunter could still stand after enduring all of that carnage. But if he succumbs to his injuries, this may be the first time that he won't win the tournament._"

When the struck shockwave dissipated, Hunter was seen by the crowd falling to the ground, covered in burn marks and bloody scars. He lost a lot more blood when he landed, but he still struggled to get up. The audience gasped over the revelation of his, but that quickly changed to suspense when Gaius started to walk towards him. He was a few feet away when he got to Hunter's side, preparing to strike him down and end the tournament match. Summer had enough of what he was about to do, so with all of her might, she got up her seat and shouted out his name.

"ERSTON OUTWAY!"

That shout surprised the king, who brought down his katana and missed his mark. Hunter took up enough strength to punch him in the stomach, staggering Gaius before enclosing his fist in flames. He brought his fist down to create a shockwave that stunned the older man further, before grabbing his katanas and striking him in a flurry of strikes before striking in the air. His body began to glow an azure blue as he launched a fireball from his katanas, signalling another mystic arte activation.

"It's over. Oh flickering blade of blazing steel," he started an incantation as he started striking all over his body. "Rend the infinite darkness," he continued as the strikes became faster and more furious, "and burn my enemies to nothing." His strikes were at a fast speed that rivals Ruby's semblance, until it all ended with one swift strike. "SAVAGE WOLF FURY!"

When he announced the name of the mystic arte, light pillars were briefly seen around Gaius, exploding all over and sending the king in the air. Gaius himself lost more blood after being hit with another mystic arte, landing on the ground covered in scars. The crowd roared to life after seeing a brutal exchange between both swordsmen, and Ruby and Neo breathed a sigh of relief. Summer, while proud of her son winning the match, worried about Gaius after seeing the bloodshed they brought forth.

Despite losing more blood than intended, Gaius used up whats left of his strength to get get back on his feet. Hunter caught wind of what he was doing and, wincing in pain from the scratches, made his way over. Both men stared each other down as they walked towards each other until they were mere inches away. They clentched their hands into a fist, waiting to see which one will fall. It was then that Gaius passes out from too much bloodloss whereas Hunter raised his fist in the air, signalling his victory.

"_THIS IS INCREDIBLE_," Zach shouted out through the intercoms. "_Chris Hunter, the Blazing Dragon himself, has defeated King Gaius with his signature mystic arte, Savage Wolf Fury. Despite losing a lot of blood, he has what it takes to move on in the tournament. We here at Terror is Reality are proud to have him here, and wish him well in the tournament._"

"_And we would also like to thank Gaius for taking his time from Rieze Maxia to compete here today,_" Bobby continued for his partner. "_Our trained teams of medics are currently on their way over to patch up both our fighters. That way, Hunter will be prepared for the next fight later today, while Gaius can walk home without having to deal with the pain._"

* * *

**Summer Rose POV**

**Green Room Hallway, Fortune City**

**Minutes after Hunter/Gaius battle**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

Right after that battle was over, I immediately rushed out to find him. I have never believed that I would see him again after two millennia, but there he was, battling in a tournament against a son he never knew he had. I'm glad Chris was able to beat him and advance in the tournament, but I really am worried about how Erston will take the fact that he's a father. Another thing that has been bothering me is that he is going by "Gaius" now, instead of going by his name.

I continued to go through everyone that was in my way, from attendees to fighters. I have to know why he did it: why he left me before I found out I was pregnant with Chris and Ruby. Luckily, as I plowed through, I saw him getting his things ready in one of the locker rooms. I slowed down my pace, intending on confronting the man I loved years ago.

"Erston Outway," I shouted out, gaining his attention. To plainly see me was just a huge understatement, as he was shocked beyond surprise when he looked at me. I surprised him even more when I slapped him in the face. "That was for leaving me," I said to him before engulfing him in a hug, "and this… is for staying alive."

"Casey," he questioned me, still dumbfounded. "How is it that you're still—"

"Alive," I cut him off. "Simple. 1996: I was sent to the distant world of Remnant with my… our daughter, leaving OUR son to fend for himself. Four years on that place, I came back to Earth in its 26th century, met the Covenant, and was given the prototype of the Immorta drug. Because of that drug, I have been 23 ever since."

All Erston ever did after hearing me out was return the hug that I gave him, finding out that he is now a father. A few tears fell from my face after telling him what happened to me, and I felt a few tears coming from him. Calming down, I looked back at him before engaging in a passionate kiss for a few minutes.

"So, Casey," He said my name again, gaining my attention. "Where are the kids?"

"You already fought our son, Erston," I said as I wiped my tears away. "Chris Hunter is our son. I don't know how Ruby will react when you meet her." It was then that I remembered something. "You gave Neo your Shiranami, wasn't it?"

Erston on let out a small chuckle, proving that I was right. Reuniting with him like this has always been in my dreams, but now, I have truly came back home. We both went back to our intimate kiss, losing track of time until we separated to catch our breaths. I offered him my hand, offering that smile he loved all those years ago.

"You want to come with me? We can watch our son as he moves on in the tournament."

He only smiled at me as he accepted my hand, and we walked back over to where I left Ruby and the others. I guess I can be happy now, since the man I loved is with me. Now, I have to find someone for Ruby to be with.

* * *

**A/N: Aww, Summer and Erston got back together… after he got the living shit kicked out of him. Kids, never try to kill your parents, even if you don't know it.**

**This chapter took me a while to picture out and put into words, but I think I am happy with the way it is now. That, and the fact that I have never been in love in real life shows that I am kind of winging it… or something. As far as everyone should know, if you played and done research on Tales of Xillia, Gaius' real name is in fact Erston Outway, and I main as him in Xillia 2. As for artes, the move he did before Absolute Domination was in fact Blade of Heaven, an arte he uses in the first game to initiate his mystic arte. As for Chris Hunter, I had his mystic arte set to Savage Wolf Fury, Yuri Lowell's signature mystic arte in Tales of Vesperia. With Chris more accustomed to fire elemental attacks, I figured the burst arte Divine Wolf – Blaze suits him more.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out. *hears knocking* Who's there?**

**Ragna: Me. I'm Battling Pyrrha next chapter.**

**Author: Oh, um OK then, I guess?**


	21. 21: Grim Reaper Ragna

**A/N: *no sign of BlazefireDrago present, Ruby takes over***

**Ruby: Well, I guess it has been a while since I have done an A/N for Drago, but I'll do what I can. If you have read the A/N at the end of chapter 20, then you will have a pretty idea as to who Pyrrha will be facing. For those of you who don't know, Ragna is from the Blazblue franchise, and the author plays as him in BB: Continuum Shift. He isn't that great in terms of fighting games, but he likes the character to the point where he added him in this fan fic. Also, there will be a short scene on Remnant with Taiyang and uncle Qrow.**

**Oh yeah, the author recommends Blazblue OST – Rebellion (original or CP version) for the fight.**

**With that out of the way, I'm Ruby Rose, signing out for BlazefireDrago**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Emerald Forest Cliffs, near Beacon**

**9:48 P.M.**

**December 19****th**

A gravestone was seen near the edge of the Emerald Forest's Cliffside, overseeing the horizon of Vale. Before, it was told to be the final resting place of Summer Rose. Now, it is a stone that will hold something dear to the woman who's revealed to be alive. Two men, Taiyang and Qrow, along with an escort of UNSC/Covenant forces arrived to dig the former grave, waiting to see what is underneath.

Both of them had no problems with going to the gravesite alone. However, due to the increase of Bio-weapon activity, all Huntsmen and Huntresses are required to have an escort from the visiting army. Only Taiyang had objections to it, but since the UNSC and the Covenant are more experienced with dealing with Bio-weapons, they had no choice but to oblige. As they got to the grave with shovels in hand, they are beginning to have second doubts.

"Hey Qrow, are you sure this is okay," the blonde man asked his partner. "I mean, this is her grave, so shouldn't we wait to bring her here first?"

"Tai, you and I both know that she's away right now," Qrow assured him. "Besides, we don't know much about her anyways, other than the fact that she's Ruby's and Chris' mother. Digging this grave is the only way we can learn more about the older Rose."

Taiyang reluctantly gave in to what Qrow told him, knowing the truth behind his words. He spent four years with the woman, and she has never told him anything related to her life. He figured that she was an amnesiac mother when he saw her with Ruby, only to be confused with the words she was saying. It only took the arrival of the _Nightshadow_ and the UNSC/Covenant fleet to make him realize that she was talking about her homeworld, Earth.

Both men grabbed their shovels before making their way to the snow covered grave. They looked at each other with mixed feelings from the blonde, but after a few seconds of silence, they began to dig up the grave. Dirt piled up as the got further down until they eventually reached the bottom. Seeing what appears to be a wooden coffin, Qrow and his partner began to lift it up to the ground. Settling it down after struggling with it, they opened it up to reveal its contents: a book that appears to be a journal, photographs that showed Summer when she was younger, and a flag with a white bird, with blue and green stripes that converge behind the animal.

Some of the UNSC forces recognized the flag as the official flag of the United Citizen's Federation, the army that their Sky Marshal and his mother served in before it disbanded. Seeing it made the soldiers realized that the Hunter family is connected to the UNSC's predecessor. Taiyang took a look at them before glancing at the flag, seeing it still in prime condition. Qrow however, focused his attention on the journal, reading it through until he understood Summer's life completely. He glanced over to the blonde man, giving him a sorrowful look.

"Taiyang," he began. "We never really understood Summer. She… she's had a rough life until now."

* * *

**Terror is Reality Tournament, Fortune City**

**14:29 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

"_Well ladies and gentlemen, the tournament has heated over to the Second round of the fights, and we're glad to bring them to you live. After a heated start, our numbers of contestants have been reduced to half._"

The cheering crowd roared with life over the announcement Zach made, but it wasn't the main reason. In the center of the arena was Pyrrha, standing proud on her side of the stage. Both Milo and Akouo were armed and ready, and she looks over to the other side to see her next opponent. The doors suddenly began to move, revealing a man with silver hair, donning a vibrant red sleeved jacket with two thin straps hanging from behind. Underneath the jacket was a black shirt with three belts, complete with a black hakama and steel-toed red boots. His eyes show a trace of heterochromia, with his right eye being red while his left is green.

"_That's right folks, and starting our second round of battles, we have the rising star Pyrrha Nikos, who managed to defeat General Scales,_" Bobby announced. "_As for her opponent, he is known as a dangerous fugitive to the defunct NOL government. His power was so grand that he destroyed military bases with only the element of Darkness. He is the Grim Reaper himself, Ragna the Bloodedge._"

"_I have a feeling that Pyrrha will have a harder time fighting Ragna, Bobby,_" Zach told his partner. "_I mean, sure she has the power of polarity, but can she handle the power that the Grim Reaper is brewing? I just hope she has a plan to deal with his weapon, Bloodedge, or else her health will only be used to heal his injuries._"

"_That thought worries me as well, Zach. But don't forget, she has a lot of potential to fight through the tournament. And we all know what happens in the final round: a duel with the Blazing Dragon himself. Knowing Pyrrha, she will have something up her sleeve that will take down the Grim Reaper._"

"So, you're my next opponent," the silver haired man, Ragna, said to Pyrrha. "I hate to say it, but you really don't look like much. I don't know how you managed to survive the first round, but I have a feeling that it was blind luck."

Pyrrha only looked at him with a smile, bowing down before speaking up. "It's a pleasure to face you, Mr. Ragna. I hope that we can have a grea—"

"Save the pleasantries," he interrupted her. "There is no room for greetings in this tournament, only a fierce competition and a small thirst of bloodlust. Have you been living under a rock?"

"Well, I was taught to be polite in every situation I was in," she pointed out, annoyed by Ragna's behaviour. "It was part of my nature to be good mannered to everyone, including my opponents."

"Well you can drop that shit now. All that it will do is slow you down, up to the point where you're out of the tournament or worse, dead."

Pyrrha couldn't believe what she was hearing from the man. Here she thought he would be different from General Scales, only to see an arrogant hothead taking the dino's place. Ragna looked over his opponent's attire and couldn't help but snarl at it. To him, she was a revealing temptress with an attitude saying 'I'll win this tournament for sure.' Smiling to himself, he crouched down as a dark purple glow began to eminate from his body, raising his hand to cover his face.

"It won't matter though. You have never seen the likes of me before. Restriction 666 released. Dimensional interference force field deployed. Blazblue ACTIVATE!" the glow around his body grew as he held his other hand up. "And now, releasing control arte restriction systems to level 0. Burst and mystic artes enabled for full use. Pyrrha Nikos, you're about to see the true power of the Azure."

(**A/N: cue music**)

When his body released the surge of built up mana, Ragna began his assault by charging into Pyrrha. She had her shield ready for when he'll use his sword, but was surprised when he started throwing punches. Each punch thrown by the silver haired male landed on the Spartan girl, while a stray punch or kick was blocked by her shield. Following up on his attack, his right hand covered itself in darkness until it resembled a dark claw. With it, he clenched the claw into a fist and punched Pyrrha, sending her back a few feet.

She wasted no time in recovering after being hit with Ragna's Shadow Claw, as she regain her footing and converted Milo into rifle mode. She then took aim at the man and fired her Fire Dust ammunition, hoping that a single shot would hit the Grim Reaper. Her hopes were quickly dashed when Ragna took out his sword, Bloodedge, and deflected the bullets trajectory by cutting them down. This continued on until one particular bullet was deflected back at Pyrrha, knocking her further back. Stressed, she converted Milo to xiphos mode and charged at her opponent. When she got close enough, she began to slash at Ragna's exposed body, leaving a few cuts on his body.

The crowd was shocked over the sight of the battle, seeing the intensity between the Remnant native and the former fugitive. Seeing as they are both in a stalemate with their blades locked, Pyrrha used her polarity semblance to move Bloodedge out of Ragna's hands. He was surprised to see his own weapon fly out of his grasp easily, but grinned when the girl discarded her own weapon as well. Taking the initiative, both fighters dashed towards each other and smashed their fists into their faces. They continued this exchange for a few more minutes until Ragna launched Pyrrha into the air, ending his combo with his Inferno Divider move.

"_This is gruesome_," Zach announced. "_Both fighters have discarded their blades and are now fighting with their hands and feet. Despite a plan formed by Pyrrha, all she did was encourage the Grim Reaper to get more reckless._"

"_Well, it was a poor choice of judgment on her part_," Bobby told his partner. "_She had no idea that Ragna himself was a master melee fighter. In fact, when he fights, Bloodedge was only used when the time was right. Still though, Pyrrha's abilities with polarity did cause a look of surprise from the man, allowing her to get a few good punches._"

Ragna, after getting Pyrrha down on the ground after his arte, immediately went over to where Bloodedge was imbedded in the arena. A stinging feeling came from his back, causing him to look and see Milo stabbing him. With her semblance, Pyrrha then lashed her weapon out of him before causing it to strike the vulnerable man. Not letting up, she launched Akouo at him, resulting in the shield impacting and bending his back slightly. Due to the pain he received from the weapons, he collapsed to the ground, but was able to grab his own. With Bloodedge in hand, he flipped on his back and hit Pyrrha's weapons back at her.

Many of the students from Beacon were amazed with the way Ragna fought, even though they were cheering for their friend to win the battle. Jaune however, closed his eyes and made a silent prayer for her, hoping that she would survive the battle and move on the next round of the tournament while Nora while shouting out 'break his legs.'

After taking back her weapons after their barrage on the Grim Reaper, she charged back at Ragna, getting close to strike his legs. Her attack was interrupted when he blocked Milo with Bloodedge, preventing the pleasure of drawing blood. While his strength was kept on his blade, she positioned Akouo on her arm and shield bashed his face. Ragna recoiled in pain after getting hit with her shield, allowing her to strike his body and leave a few cuts and scratches on him. Furious, he positioned Bloodedge as a dark purple glow began to emanate on it, releasing its built up mana as a Shadow Fang and sent Pyrrha back a few feet.

"You have really push my limits," Ragna said to his opponent. "I have no choice but to finish this right here, RIGHT NOW!"

His whole body began to glow a dark purple, signalling the crowd that his built up mana will be released. Making his way over, he dashed towards her, eventually closing the gap between them. Wasting no time, he dodged her upwards strike and unleashed Hell's Fang, followed by a Gauntlet Hades martial arte. Pyrrha has never seen so much dark energy coming from attacks before, but she was barely holding on as she was constantly assaulted by the Grim Reaper's attacks. Finishing up, he lunged his blade downwards on her, before moving it in an upwards strike. The strike conjured up more darkness energy, taking on a form of a monster's head before it hit Pyrrha, easily dissipating afterwards.

"I'm not finished yet," he shouted out, unfolding his blade until it resembled a scythe. "Now you will see why they call me the Grim Reaper."

His body's mana glow increased brightly as he struck Pyrrha once more, and Bloodedge's blade turned from silver to blood red. He began swinging it, hitting her with the power of total darkness. The darkness itself attached itself on the girl, and as he struck them, they release glowing orbs of energy which floated towards Ragna. As they did, his injuries slowly began to heal themselves, leaving no traces of the battle scars behind. As he was about to finish, his body resembled more of a savage monster, with Bloodedge taking the form of the head.

"Now to end this bloodbath once and for all," Ragna's voice echoed in the envoy. "BLACK ONSLAUGHT!"

After shouting out, the monster's head moved towards Pyrrha at a rapid pace, hitting her with one powerful thrust. As she was hit and sent flying to the arena walls, the darkness quickly disappeared to reveal Ragna with Bloodedge forward. Satisfied with the carnage he has dealt, he immediately sheathed his weapon behind him as he reactivated the restriction systems. He began to make his way out of the arena, unaware that Pyrrha herself is still combat ready.

"Dumbass bitch," he said to himself. "No one can stand surviving my Black Onslaught mystic arte. If she's lucky, she'll be sent to the hospital. Either way I look at it, she's out of the tour—"

He never got to finish his sentence as Pyrrha appeared in front of him, delivering a few devastating kicks to his stomach. Ragna couldn't believe what he was seeing, but his opponent managed to survive his powerful ability, withstood the damage he dealt to her and still had the strength to fight back. His thoughts were immediately shattered as he felt another sharp pain from his back, courtesy of Pyrrha's weapon Milo. Pyrrha knew that Ragna would try to use Bloodedge, so she used her semblance to move his weapon away and use it against him.

Everyone, including the contestants watching the whole thing on the TV, was shouting out in excitement over what Pyrrha did towards the Grim Reaper, going so far as to control his sword. Ragna however was pissed off after seeing his own blade was being used against him, so when Bloodedge got to a certain point in his vision, he lunged his hand on the handle. It was a constant struggle for control over the weapon, but he was able to regain control of it and struck Pyrrha away from him.

The attack he gave her sent Pyrrha a few feet away from Ragna, but just as she was about to return the favor, part of her armor shattered, revealing her chest to the public. Most of the men (excluding Chris Hunter, who thankfully jabbed his own eyes) were bleeding out of their noses after seeing her boobs, while the women in the audience now grew into an angry army against the Grim Reaper. As for Ragna, he quickly blushed after taking a peek before tilting his head away from the sight. Pyrrha became too embarrassed and tried to cover herself.

"PERVERT," she shouted at her opponent. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD DO THAT. ARE YOU THAT DESPERATE?"

"WHAT," Ragna shouted back. "I WOULD NEVER ROB A GIRL LIKE THIS. HONESTLY, THAT WAS A MISTAKE ON MY PART."

"A _MISTAKE_? MORE LIKE AN EXCUSE TO GET A PEAK AT AN UNDERAGED GIRL'S CHEST?"

Pyrrha took a quick glance over to where her friends were seated, hoping that Jaune was ok. She eventually saw him, only he was passed out from loss of blood, only being comforted by Ren while Nora continued her shouting. Ragna smirked over seeing her looking at Jaune, getting an idea in the process.

"I see, you only want the guy you love see your chest," he stated, getting her attention. "Too bad though. The poor bastard will try to remember what caused his collapse. He'll never remember seeing your bazongas."

What he said broke a nerve in her, and he started to regret ever saying that. After speaking, Ragna took a quick glance at Pyrrha, whose eyes were covered by her hair. Small traces of a heavenly white light began to glow until it enveloped her weapon. She then discarded Akouo, and Milo took the light in itself until it became a large pillar of light. Her eyes then revealed themselves to Ragna, only they were soulless this time. To him, it was like seeing an actual demon before him. Before he got the chance, Pyrrha suddenly appeared right behind him, before striking him down with the light enveloped Milo. The force was strong enough that the Grim Reaper was launched up into the air, until she jumped and slammed it on his stomach, sending him speeding down to the ground. The force of the impact made Ragna pass out, and in turn, created a crater in the arena.

"_HOLY FUCKING SHIT,_" Bobby cursed in the intercom. "_Pyrrha Nikos, the girl from Remnant, has triumphed yet again as she defeated Ragna the Bloodedge. This had to be one of the toughest fights she went through in her whole life, along with embarrassing._"

"_She actually had a hard time trying to defeat the Grim Reaper today, Bobby,_" Zach told his partner. "_To be honest, I never thought I would see her survive Black Onslaught, his devastating mystic arte. That arte was so powerful that most fighters that faced Ragna end up in the hospital immediately. Seeing her move after getting hit with it only shows that we're not in the presence of a normal competitor._"

Pyrrha quickly regained her senses shortly after taking out Ragna, looking over the carnage she caused to the arena. Covering her exposed chest again, she saw that Ragna was at the center of a crater caused by her. Not long after that, the Grim Reaper himself slowly woke up, struggling to get back on the ground. When he did, she quickly got on her guard as he approached her. She closed her eyes, waiting for him to knock her back down. The hit never came, and she opened her eyes to see his jacket covering her up. Confused, she looked at Ragna, who only had his back towards her.

"You have to be one tough bitch to take me down this early in the tournament," he said to her. "Sorry about what I said earlier, but I had to keep up my standards. If I see you again, I'll make sure to hang out with you. Hell… I'll even give you some pointers on how to progress on your relationships. Just do me a favor: Make it to the finals, but don't attempt to win. The Blazing Dragon will fuck you up real bad."

Leaving her with that piece of advice, Ragna took his leave and left her alone on the arena. The crowd began to chant her name again as she zipped up the loaned jacket, satisfied that she is now fully clothed again. It did leave some room in the sleaves, but she wasn't complaining. Happy that she has won another round of the Terror is Reality tournament, she raised her hand up in the air, and the crowd roared with life once again.

"_This is incredible, Bobby,_" Zach said over the intercoms as Pyrrha left the arena. "_Not only did she beat two of the tournaments powerful fighter, but she has earned their respect as well. I am glad to be seeing her tomorrow for the Quarterfinals_."

"_Absolutely, Zach,_" Bobby was heard next. "_However, I believe she has clothing similar to her armor for every day. Tournament rules states that our fighters needs a complete change of wardrobe, but I have no doubt that Pyrrha will figure something out for tomorrow._"

* * *

**A/N: *author was seen after a few days disappearance***

**Ruby: Where were you Drago? I had to cover this chapter all by myself.**

**Drago: Sorry about that. It's just that my birthday was passed on August 31****st****, and I was playing the hell out of the first Ape Escape game as well as Blazblue: Chronophantasma Extend. If you want to, you can cover the end A/N.**

**Ruby: Ugh, fine. *to the readers* Pyrrha has now beaten Ragna the Bloodedge and is now moving on to the Quarterfinals of Terror is Reality's tournament. Who will Chris Hunter face, and are Ragna and Scales now friends to the P in JNPR?**

**Now since the author here has neglected his duties, I shall explain for him. At the very beginning of the chapter, Drago felt like it needed something to answer the question of what was buried in Summer Rose's grave. Due to his crazy imagination, he has decided to place a Federation Flag, a journal and a few photos in the coffin to signal her past life as Casey Hunter. Like he said, he will do a backstory fic on Summer, but he wants to finish up this arc first.**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review**

**With that out of the way, I am Ruby Rose, signing out for BlazefireDrago**

**Drago: Oh yeah, the move Ragna used before Black Onslaught was in fact Carnage Scissors.**


	22. 22: Intermission

**A/N: To be honest, I never planned this chapter to be another tournament fight, but it will have a brief moment in this chapter. Basically, this chapter will be focusing on Hunter's promise to Neo. The next chapter will have either a tournament quarterfinal or a smut. At this point, I plan out the current chapters and upload them when I am done. Depending on my busy schedule, writers' block or plain laziness, these chapters will have a long wait time.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Terror is Reality Tournament, Fortune City**

**16:59 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

"_Well, here we are folks. The last match of the day before moving on to the quarterfinals is here at last, and boy do we have a surprise for you all. Here to finish today's second round of battles is our reigning tournament champion, Chris Hunter_."

The crowd roared to life after Bobby's announcement, eager to see the carnage the veteran fighter has in mind. True to Bobby's word, Chris Hunter was seen standing on his side of the arena, with his facial expression showing in discust. Right in front of him was a dark skinned male wearing a black trenchcoat with yellow fur, baggy black jeans and a pair of white and yellow sneakers. He was carrying what appears to be a boombox on his shoulder, blasting out obscene rap music to the crowd. Everyone knows him as a clone of Nathan Copeland, an assassin who died by Chris Hunter's blade.

Clone Nathan was dancing around, chanting out his name over to everyone in the audience. All he got was an immediate booing from the crowd, along with Nora shouting out 'shut up.' He continued breakdancing, which clearly got on Hunter's nerves.

"That's right everyone," Nathan shouted out to the audience. "The star of this show, Nathan Copeland, has arrived. I hope you are ready for the new champion."

Chris knew he had enough to hear from him. In fact, he was the one who cut the real Nathan into pieces, so seeing a clone of the rapper got on to his nerves. Having no more of his shenanigans, he completely dashed over to Clone Nathan's vision, giving him a shit eating grin in the process.

"Sorry buddy," he said to the rapper. "But I'm afraid I have to cut your time short. CRESCENT MOON!"

Shouting out the name of his arte, he kicked the clone's jaw with an upward strike, sending him straight in the air. Everyone thought Hunter's opponent shouted out 'tacos' as he flew in the air, but what Nathan saw shocked him. His head crashed into the display in the center of the arena, causing two thousand bolts of electricity to course through his body. Everyone watching wasn't surprised over the tactic the Blazing Dragon used on the clone, knowing how much he hates foes reborn as copies for the tournament. When the electricity subsided, Clone Nathan's body began its descent, revealing an unrecognizable burnt face to the public. The body collided to the ground, with the head exploding into nothing more than blood and guts.

"_Well what do you know, Chris Hunter has ended the match before it could truly begin,_" Zach was heard on the intercom as Hunter left the arena. "_Our team of cleaners will have a tough time getting what's left of Nathan Copeland's head. Needless to say, the Blazing Dragon himself will be moving on to the quarterfinals of the TiR tournament._"

"_This has been an eventful day for all of us,_" Bobby added in. "_From the beginning of the fights with Pyrrha and Scales to the eventful match between Hunter and Gaius, we can all use what's left of today to prepare for tomorrow. Until then, this has been Zach Martin and Bobby Morenoz, saying goodnight, and see you all tomorrow._"

* * *

**Blake Belladonna POV**

**Food Court, Fortune City**

**19:06 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

Seeing the tournament battles really got to everyone, and I couldn't believe the amount of fighters that progressed in the tournament. My favorite fight out of all of them today was the match between this Hanzo Hasashi guy and an intellectual zombie named Sid. Both of them were ninjas, and they have shown a lot of skill. If I had a preference on who I should learn artes from, it would be Hasashi. Still, I was happy that Pyrrha made it to the quarterfinals, even though she got embarrassed thanks to that Ragna guy.

After the tournament fights ended today, most of us decided to split up for the day and actually explore this town. I ended up with the short end of the stick, so I have to babysit Sun and his team here in the food court. It wasn't bad, but I know I got it better than Chris and Ruby, who has to take CFVY into the mall sections. Even Neo went with them, reminding Chris about a promise he made to her. The only one I'm more worried about was Professor Goodwitch, since she may become a victim to gambling.

Sun and his friends has behaved so far on our time on Earth, but after seeing a quick kill performed in the tournament… well, let's just say that they were a little shaken up. They got over it after hearing that the man Chris killed in his second match, Nathan Copeland, was a clone created for Terror is Reality. Even so, Sun and Neptune has been in a crazy conversation about how the people on Earth don't have access to aura.

"I'm just saying that even though these guys have souls, they don't know how to use their auras," Sun told Neptune. "Besides, you saw how they fight, with all those crazy moves they call artes and the like."

"Still, if they had aura, they wouldn't be able to lose a lot of blood," Neptune interjected. "All I am saying is that we should get a whole bunch of trained Huntsman and Huntresses, bring them to this planet, and have them unlock the people's aura."

"It wouldn't matter anyways. They have techniques called healing artes to get rid of all those cuts, scratches and bruises. We all saw Chris' fight with Gaius. Both of them had a lot of cuts on their bodies, but with those abilities, they were gone in a matter of seconds, making them look good as new."

"Do they always argue like this," I asked Scarlet and Sage, the other two members of team SSSN, to which they nodded. I should have known that those two idiots would keep arguing over useless crap like that. Hell, I remember them being taken down by Torchwick when he had that Atlesian Paladin. To think that they went from the best of buds to a couple of arguing idiots.

"Hey Blake," I turn my head to Sun, who had a determined look on his face. "Tell me, what do you think would be more powerful: Earth's arte capabilities or Remnant's aura logic?"

"Don't listen to this idiot," Neptune interrupted. "We all know that Remnant's aura is necessary in order to survive. Without it, many Huntsmen would already be dead by now. Learning about artes is just a waste of our potential, along with how uncool they are."

"Uh, hello? Remnant to Neptune, didn't you see those powerful mystic artes those guys have? From Chris Hunter's Savage Wolf Fury to that Ragna dude's Black Onslaught, those moves have to be the most devastating if they were used on the Creatures of Grimm. Back me up on this, Blake."

"Uh," I was just put there on the spot. "Well, it could help the people here if they had aura unlocked, so that they can deal with the monsters. But, they have done so much without it, only relying on artes and their technology. These people are more accustomed to artes more than they are with aura, so I hate to say this, but Sun is right. If a person dedicates themselves to arte training, they can pull off the same techniques the fighters in the tournament can do."

"HAH. See Neptune, this is why we should go out of our way to train ourselves with artes."

I pretty much zoned out of their conversation as Sun said those words to Neptune, thinking that I don't have any more input in their topic. While it's true that the people on Remnant has depended on aura and semblances our whole lives, but I then thought about the same about the people here. My mind then jumped to Ruby, who was born on Earth and raised on Remnant. I have a feeling that she may adapt artes into her semblance, but she has been more focused on that katana of hers lately. For some reason, I can't help but thinking how my team is faring right now.

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Royal Flush Plaza, Fortune City**

**18:11 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

Neo, Ruby and I were chosen to look over team CFVY after my last match of the day, and I wasn't complaining. I was a little pissed that the tournament decided to pit me against a clone of the Original Nathan Copeland. It was true that I helped fight the guy, but his death was committed by a friend of mine: a lazy ass otaku assassin named Travis. Even afterwards, after dealing with a corrupt corporation, I haven't heard from him ever again. Still though, that was a story for another time.

Since I know that CFVY's leader is so fixated on fashion, I knew the Royal Flush plaza would suffice. This part of the mall has a large selection of clothing stores, so I knew I did something right there. It will also give me a chance to keep my promise to Neo, who I told her that she would need some new clothes. Besides, she means the world to me, and I'll be damned if I her get hurt.

We eventually made our way to the floor with the clothing shops, and I told Coco and her friends to go ahead and browse. Ruby went along with them, so that just leaves me and Neo by ourselves. I looked over at her, seeing her genuine smile as she looked at me. I took her over to Kathy's Space, where she started browsing the clothing available.

"Go ahead," I shouted out to her. "If you see something that you like, I'll buy it for you."

She immediately started going through the available clothing the store had to offer, occasionally grabbing a few items in the process. While she's doing that, I made my way over to the cash register that I was going to pay for what she wanted. The sound of the change room opening and closing had me look to see Neo going to change into a possible outfit for her.

"So, you're buying some clothes for your girlfriend," the receptionist said to me, causing me to look back. "I think that is actually really sweet. It's nice to see the Sky Marshal buying gifts for his girlfriend."

"I guess you can say that," I replied back, blushing a little over the compliment. "I did make her a promise, and I intend to keep it. Besides," I paused to look at the change rooms, "she means the world to me."

"Well, you are a nice, young man, Sky Marshal. I'll give you the tournament attendee discount."

"Hey Chris, what do you think," I look over to the sound of Neo's voice, and I was left speechless. Neo was wearing a tank top that revealed her stomach and somewhat covered her breasts. Over top of it was a white leather jacket that was complete with a few pink stripes on the sides. Completing the outfit was a pair of skin tight black jeans along with a pair of converse with her colors present. Her new attire left much to the imagination, but in my opinion, she was the most gorgeous girl ever.

"Well," she said again, bringing me back to my senses. "Does it look good on me?"

"To be honest, you look _Amazing_," I complimented her, adding emphasis to amazing. "It actually suits you perfectly."

"Really? Thanks, that means a lot to me. I'll be back soon, so wait for me."

Neo went back into the change room to put her clothes back on, and I immediately gave the cashier the money covering for the new attire. It was usually around $10,000, since the store is more into high end fashion, but thanks to the discount and my military position, I paid around $2,500. Neo eventually came out in her default attire with her new clothes on her shoulder, putting them in the bag provided. With our stuff, we left Kathy's Space, meeting up with Ruby, Coco, and the rest of CFVY carrying bags. We were pretty much catching up until I accidentally ran into someone.

"Oh, sorry about that. Here, let me help you ou…" I stopped to look at someone I would never expect. "Nagisa?"

The person I ran into was a young brunette woman with pale skin, wearing the casual tank top and shorts. Her hazel brown eyes were seen clearly while her hair was put up in a ponytail. The only other feature that was clearly seen was that her right arm is also a prosthetic; however it looks more similar to a dragon's arm. She took one good look at me and gave out a genuine smile, and something tells me that something will go wrong.

"Oh, Hunter," she said as she looked at me, causing Neo to latch on my arm. "I haven't seen you here in a long time. How have you been?"

"I've been well," I told her with a straight face. "Nagisa, why are you here? Surely, this wasn't a plan of yours to get back with me, right?"

"Oh, what do you mean by that? I am here for the Terror is Reality tournament, and I am glad to be facing you in the quarterfinals." She stopped to let us look at my cell phone, confirming what she said. "You see, it has been years since we last went out. I figure this match is our date, so I'll dress to impress tomorrow."

"He is not going to be impressed," Neo lashed out at her. "He is going to win this tournament, and not even you can stop him. And as for the 'date' part, he is in a relationship with me. And for your information, I have every right to be with him."

Both Neo and Nagisa were staring each other down, and I already have a feeling that sparks were going to fly. I knew that they are both katana wielders, but Neo hasn't gotten enough training with Shiranami. Nagisa, however, was trained with dual katanas, and she wields the other Blazing Dragon Spirit, Alastor. Knowing the danger that would occur if they fought, I immediately took action and got between them.

"Alright, that is enough out of both of you," I said in a threatening tone, giving Nagisa a glare in the process. "We'll settle this in the quarterfinals, so you better be ready to lose. If you want to forfeit by fighting Neo, be my guest."

She only scoffed at that remark and left with no incident, leaving me to breathe a sigh of relief. I know that tournament fighters who cause trouble outside of the tournament walls will be disqualified on the spot, giving their opponents an easy win to the next round. However, I wanted to settle things with Nagisa for good, and fighting her tomorrow was my best bet.

"Come on, Chris," Neo whispered to me worried. "Let's go back to the hotel. You can tell me what that was all about there."

I only nodded in agreement to her before making our way out of the mall, getting a few glances from Ruby and CFVY. I already have a bad feeling about how I'm going to explain my connection to Nagisa, but I know that it has to be done. For one thing, I know what must happen tomorrow.

I have to beat her in the quarterfinals. I have to beat my ex.

* * *

**A/N: DUN DUN DUUUUNNNNNN! *awkward silence, followed by a random saying 'it is a melon' from somewhere else* Well, I thought that would work. **

**Anyways, I have to say that this was somewhat a difficult chapter to type up over the days, but I think I got it down right. Now, for the end of this chapter, I was conflicted whether or not to foreshadow the next tournament fight coming up. After much thinking, and some talks with my coworkers, I decided I might as well do it. To be honest, the idea of Hunter having an ex came to me immediately after finishing up a few chapters in the start of the tournament. As for Nagisa's last name, I would go with Takahashi.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

**Oh yeah, Nathan Copeland was from No More Heroes if you guys were wondering.**


	23. 23: Love the Dragon

**A/N: A smut before a tournament fight? Meh, I think I can work something out. Now, as far as you all know, Chris Hunter unfortunately ran into Nagisa Takahashi at the Royal Flush Plaza, and he wasn't looking forward to facing her in the tournament. This will have some backstory as to who Nagisa is, but for the main reason, this chapter is a smut. Now unlike a previous chapter that had smut in it, both Neo and Hunter will be aware of what they're doing. I was going to go straight to the next tournament fight, but this idea came up to me after I finished the last chapter.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

**P.S. I am open to suggestions as to who Pyrrha will have to face in the Quarterfinals.**

**Oh yeah, before I forget: LEMON ALERT! LEMON ALERT!**

* * *

**Neo POV**

**Room 1689, Fortune City Hotel**

**20:11 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

I have always thought that today would have been great, but many things got in the way of that. Chris did keep his promise to me by buying me some new clothes today, and I was really happy with how I looked in them. It just went downhill when he ran into some girl named Nagisa. I don't know why, but I already don't like the way she acted in front of Chris. I guess you can say that I was a little protective.

After encountering that girl, we all decided to return to the hotel and retire for the night. Getting out of the mall was the easy part, but we had to endure a long detour to get to our rooms. Apparently, it was because something happened that involved Chris, Ruby, Summer and the others. All I know was that caused Ruby to freak out over it, and I have heard mentions of some monster named Shadow Rose. I would ask Chris about it, but that will have to wait.

When we made it to the hotel, we all said our good nights before making our way to our room. I opted for Chris and I to have our own room, and he had no objections before. It was when we got into our room that he started taking off pieces of his armor, and I went over to look out the window. I saw that the repair crew was picking up what appears to be remains of a giant mech, something Chris called the Fafner Mark Nicht. I looked back at Chris, who took off the last piece of his armor before moving onto the next thing.

"Hey Chris," I grabbed his attention. "Do you mind if I ask you something? It's about that girl, Nagisa."

"If you're wondering why she said those things," he paused to look at me, and I can see a sad expression on him. "It's because she used to be my girlfriend. She just got too attached to me after I started seeing her years ago."

My interest was suddenly piqued when he said that, sitting down on the bed closest to me. I had no idea that Chris dated before seeing me again, but the look on his face told me that it didn't go well. Because I was curious, I motioned for him to continue.

"Before she became who she is now, Nagisa was a frail and weak girl. Apparently, she was inflicted with a virus that prevented her from going out into the world. When I learned of this, I looked all over until I found a cure for it. She was so grateful to me after I help her get rid of the virus, and she was able to go outside and enjoy life." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Eventually, she asked me if I could train her how to fight with dual katanas, so I lent her Alastor, the Elemental Spirit I had at the time. Overtime, after her training, we actually made our relationship official, only for a job to turn sour."

"A job that went bad," I asked him, wondering what he meant. "What happened?"

"We were given a job from Tosh to overlook a mining operation on Redstone, a lava planet that houses a rare type of mineral," he answered me, continuing his story. "We were still at war with the Covenant at the time, and Cyclos himself took it upon himself to interrupt the mining. It was during a fight with the Covie that Nagisa lost an arm, allowing him to kick her into the lava. What happened next was that Alastor fused himself with her, allowing her to come back and drive Cyclos off."

"Was that fusion the reason why her arm is the way it is now?"

He nodded to answer before continuing. "After that whole ordeal, Nagisa went through a huge change. She no longer was a sweet innocent girl I knew before, becoming one of the finest the UNSC has to offer. I was afraid of what would happen if she were to die in my sight, so I broke off my relationship with her. I ended things peacefully, but she never took it too fondly. Even now, she tries to get back together."

"Well, you shouldn't have to worry about it," I said to him before moving up to kiss him. "We can't change the past, but we can shape our future. Besides, she kind of sounds almost like a Yandere."

Chris chuckled lightly over what I said until he returned the kiss, and I have been in thought over what is going to happen tomorrow. His fight with Nagisa is going to be a lot more difficult with the one with Erston, and I learned from Summer that Erston himself was Chris' father. I know that Chris is really good with his weapons, but I can't help but be worried about him.

"Chris, I'm going to take a shower," I told him after breaking off the kiss. "Then I will give you a little _ice cream_ surprise."

I left him alone after I said that, making my way over to the bathroom in our room. The only thought I had in my head was how I made that pun sound, due to my nickname relating to ice cream. When I got inside the bathroom, I quickly took off my clothes one article at a time. While I was doing that, I had the water in the shower going, checking it until it got to reasonable hot levels. Taking off my bra and panties, I stepped in the shower, getting drenched in steamy hot water in the process.

All the thoughts I had about Nagisa and Chris' past slowly flew away as my body takes in the warm embrace of the water. Grabbing the lotion, I poured some of the gel into my hand before rubbing around my naked skin. Being a girl, I have to be extra careful when spreading the lotion on me. I rubbed my whole body down, getting the dirt of the day off of me and leaving my body clean for the night. Satisfied, I let the water run down on me, washing away the soap that covered my body. I then went to shut off the shower before grabbing a towel, drying myself off. I then wrapped it around my naked body before leaving the bathroom.

Chris was wearing a typical black t-shirt and black jeans when I walked out of the bathroom, and he was surprised to see me. Here I was, presenting myself to him wearing nothing but a towel. Slightly smiling, I slowly walked over to him, making my hips sway sideways. His face was in a red shade of blush, embarrassed over seeing me. Blushing as well, I kept my smile until I was right in front of him. His blush grew on his face, and I slowly wrapped my arms around him, engulfing him in a passionate hug.

"Do you like what you have seen," I asked to his ear, to which he nodded his head. "I told you that I'll give you an _ice cream _surprise. I hope you like it."

He grasps my shoulders, slowly pulling me out of the hug. I was about to question what he was doing, but when I looked into his silver eyes, I slowly lost myself to him. We both moved our heads to engage ourselves in a long, passionate kiss, and our bodies began to inspect each other. My hands took hold and lifted his shirt off, revealing his toned body to me while his moved underneath my towel. I moaned in pleasure as his hands continued exploring my body, and my hands already worked on taking off his jeans. His pants then fell in sync with my towel, and my naked body was revealed to him in its full glory.

"This body of mine," I said to him in a seductive tone. "Is now yours for the taking. Go ahead and explore my being, for I am yours."

His hands then reached out to where my breasts are, touching and groping them with no mind. I let out a few moans as he fondled them, and my hands began searching his body for something to grasp. While I was doing that, my breasts were played with and massaged, and the moans continued to come out of me. My hands eventually went underneath his boxers, where I can feel his member stiffen from the movement. Desperate, I moved my hands to take his boxers off, revealing its erected glory to me.

"Ooh, I think you _love_ what you see," I teased before lowering myself to its level. I then lightly grasped it with my hand, rubbing it and getting a few moans of pleasure from him. I knew he was enjoying what I was doing to his member, and before I know it, he placed his hands on my head. Knowing what that meant, I gave his rod a few licks around it before swallowing it whole with my mouth. I kept pleasuring him by moving my head back and forth slowly, and his moans were increasing by the second. Since I didn't want him to be left alone, I have been fingering my pussy since I started playing with his erected member.

"Oh god. Neo, it feels so good," He said while he continued to moan out. I then took my mouth off him before smothering his now wet rod with my breasts, giving him a good titty fuck. I looked over to his face, noticing that he was rather enjoying what I was doing, and sped up my boobs' movements around his stiff rod. I stopped briefly to put my mouth around it, making sure it stays wet before continuing to tit fuck it. His breathing became harsh, signalling me that he was close to his climax.

"Neo… I'm about… I'm about to cum," he said under his breath. However, before his climax could occur, I stopped what I was doing to it, allowing his rod to calm down while still erect. He just looked at me in confusion, only for me to catch him off guard with a kiss. I then placed my hands on his chest, already knowing what I'll do next.

"If you're going to cum, we do it together," I whispered to him before pushing him, with his back on the bed. I then crawled over his body until my hips were in line with his, and his member began poking my core. I maneuvered it with my hand until it was where I wanted, and slowly decended down on him. I let out a loud moan as his member penetrated my pussy walls again, except this time without crying out in pain. Breathing out, I saw him looking at me with a concerned face, wondering about my virginity.

"Before you ask, I did it with you eleven days ago. You were completely passed out when I gave away my maidenhood to you."

He nodded in acknowledgement before I started rocking my hips forward and backwards, massaging my core and his member at the same time. I leaned over to kiss him as my body rubbed his, and the moans echoed in our mouths. I then felt his hands trail down my back until they planted themselves on my ass, allowing Chris to get a firm grasp on me. As I rocked my body more, he began to thrust his member in conjunction, causing me to moan louder than before.

"Oh, yes. Ke… keep fucking me," I said through the moans as I arched backwards, beginning to pounce my body with his thrusting. Because I leaned back, I began to fondle my own breasts for him to see, as his hands were kept on my ass. We kept up this motion as our moaned increased in intensity, and I could have sworn that my eyes became more and more lustful than ever. Our motions have also increased, as his member got deeper and deeper into my core.

"Neo, I'm about to cum," Chris told me as I felt him twitch inside of me. "I'm… I'm about to lose it."

"It's ok," I assured him as I pounced harder. "Cum inside me. Cum inside my pussy, Chris."

Our bodies were in overdrive as we felt our climaxes coming closer, until eventually I arched my head backwards as we orgasmed. I can feel his semen pouring inside of me as his member did its final thrusts in my vagina. As our spasm eventually subsided, I collapsed on his body, breathing raggedly after having sex with him. We both looked each other in the eyes, going in again for another kiss. Our tongues danced together while our mouths played with one another, but it was only the start of our night.

"So Chris," I said after breaking off the kiss, still breathing heavily. "Did you like my _ice cream_ surprise?"

"Yeah. However," he paused to raise his head until his mouth neared my ear. "Knowing you, you always go for a second round."

I instantly knew what he meant by that, and before I know it; he rotated our bodies until my back was on the bed with him over on top of me. My eyes began to wonder at his chest, from his toned six-pack on his stomach to where his prosthetic arm is connected on his peck. His eyes longed to start our next session, so my eyes gazed upon him and gave him a look of approval.

His hips slowly began the thrusting action again, and my core walls can already feel him massaging them. Because of our other intercourse, our bodies were aching a little, but after a few initial thrusts, he began to pace his stiff member in me in a steady rate. I looked over to where I was penetrated to see his stick covered in our mixed juices, with his seed giving that white look on it. I knew that because my pussy was filled with his cum already.

With his hips penetrating me, he wrapped my legs around his waist to keep him inside me. I began to moan out in pleasure once again due to the excitement of sex, but they got louder as his hands started to grope my breasts again. His hands rotated them as he kept up the pressure, increasing his penetration as my pussy began to tighten around him. He lowered his head to keep my mouth busy with yet another kiss, and his fingers began to tease my nipples, arousing them with a circular movement.

"Keep it up," I whimpered as we broke off our kiss. "Keep on fucking me hard until I cum."

My request was made true as he began thrusting faster and harder, and both of us moaned out loud again. One of his hands lifted itself from my left breast, and I can see his face cup it with his mouth, sucking my tit in the process. I arched my head back as he both suck on my breast and thrusting his rod inside my core, breathing out and moaning loudly for him to hear. As his member massaged my lower lips faster, I started to get a feeling that another climax was upon us.

"Oh god, Chris, I'm about to cum," I shouted out fast, and his face lifted itself from my breast to look me in the eyes. "Go ahead. Go and pour your seed in me… OH FUCK, FILL ME UP, CHRIS!"

He placed his hand on my face, pulling me up into a lustful kiss of dominance. We both climaxed at the same time again, and more of his semen filled my pussy during the last hard thrusts in my vagina. My eyes went wide and teary as the warm embrace of his cum filled my womanhood, and our last loud moan was heard in our kiss. As our orgasm subsided again, Chris' body slowly collapsed onto mine, and we broke off our kiss with a trail of saliva connected to our tongues. I smiled at him as he gazed upon my face, and I wrapped my arms around him, engulfing him in a hug.

"That… was amazing, Chris," I whispered to him as our breathing calmed down. "I didn't know that you were this rough."

"Well, you were pretty much asking for it, Neo," he whispered back to me, nudging his nose with mine. "What, with you coming in wearing nothing but a towel?"

I only laughed at what he meant by that, looking at the pile of clothes we left behind before our 'activities of the night.' The towel I wore was mixed in with the shirt and shorts that Chris wore for a brief moment. I then felt Chris' member withdrawing from my vagina, allowing all of the excess semen to drip out of me. I can tell that he was a little worried, so I nudged my head over his neck while holding him tighter.

"Don't worry, Chris," I said as I looked him in the eyes. "I was safe tonight and begged you to cum in me, so you have nothing to be ashamed of. But it does bring me back to my question two days ago."

"Thanks Neo," he told me, returning the hug. "You know, one of these days, we'll start our own family. You, me and our kid can live out our lives, and Ruby and mom can come visit sometimes. You know, you are the only one I want to be with for the rest of my life, Neo."

"Me too, Chris. You mean a lot to me."

After saying that, we both grabbed a nearby blanket and covered ourselves up for the night. Having sex twice took a lot of energy out of the both of us, so we both decided that it was best to sleep the night away. Only one thing remained in my head as we got comfortable.

"Hey Chris, can you make me a promise," I asked him, meeting his silver eyes again. "During the tournament tomorrow, kick Nagisa's ass in the quarterfinals for me."

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Mark Nicht Wreckage, Fortune Park, Fortune City**

**23:11 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 20****th****, 4021**

The Salvage and Disposal crews Ultor employed continued their work of removing the Fafner Mark Nicht off of what's left of Fortune Park, getting rid of the scars that Shadow Rose herself inflicted on the town. Due to the possible reactivation of the machine, the corporation made it a habit to employ security teams around the wreckage, armed to the brink with Annihilator rocket launchers. Two members of the security team, a human and an elite, were on patrol around the park when the sound of an explosion came from inside the Atlantica Casino. Fearing the worst, they made their way over to the building, pushing through the fleeing populace in the process.

The casino itself appeared to be trashed to the point where it was almost unrecognizable. Many of the statues that resembled the Greek God Poseidon were now pieces of broken marble, the decorations were embedded in the walls, but the main source of damage was the pile of destroyed gambling machines. One grunt was seen cowering behind what appeared to be a barricade of tables, so the security team made it a point to get some answers.

"Hey, buddy," the elite of Ultor security spoke up, getting the little alien's attention. "What the hell happened here? What did you see?"

"An evil witch is here," it stated bluntly. "She started gambling on one of the Nyte Blayde machines, and the next thing I knew, she started getting angry and began using some crazy artes. She has been doing that with every single machine she played. She's nothing like the UNSC Spartans; she's the real Demon around here."

"What does this Demon look like… Stevens," the human security member asked the grunt, reading out its name on its shirt.

"All I know was that she was platinum blonde, wears a white business top with a black skirt, has a purple cape, and uses a wand."

"Is anybody else with her?"

"Well," the grunt thought about it for a moment. "All I know is that the Demon was with a young woman who looked like she was in her twenties. She wore a black sweater with white lines on it, a dark red tank top and a pair of white, black and blue sweatpants on. She had silver eyes, and her crimson hair was put up in a ponytail. I know that she didn't doing anything, staying away from the Demon as it destroyed the casino."

The security then told the grunt to get out to safety, seeing the little alien run off to the doorways of the Atlantica. They then primed their Type-25 Directed Plasma Rifles, donning the Ultor Corporation's colors, and began to investigate the damaged casino. Many of the ruined games were spewing out sparks and burnt tokens, and there were signs of scorch marks all over the floor. As they looked over the building, they immediately ran into the one responsible playing her next gambling machine victim: Glynda Goodwitch.

"Before you ask, she's been like this ever since she started losing money," the security aimed their weapons at another newcomer, Summer Rose. "I told her that it was a bad idea to fool around with the machines, but did she listen? No, she went to game, and now she will have some property damage to pay for."

"I'm sorry ma'am, but are you with that Demon," the elite asked, lowering his plasma rifle with his partner.

"I wouldn't call her a 'Demon,' but I was watching over her." It took her a while to put two and two together. "You're going to bring us in for questioning, are you?"

* * *

**A/N: "If you're just going to fool around, don't gamble. If you're going to gamble, don't goof around." Glynda, you should have listened to Summer.**

**Even though I posted the poll days ago, no votes were taken in. However, in the reviews, I was given one vote to do the smut first, so here it is. I think I did a lot better in fleshing it out and putting detail to it. If it felt a little rushed, then I know I have much to learn in the art of typing smut, but for now, it's a good start. I didn't want to end the chapter after the whole moment with Hunter and Neo, so I added a funny moment at the end, showing that Blake's worries became true in the form of Glynda with a gambling problem.**

**If you have no Idea on who Shadow Rose is and what she did, then I highly recommend reading Change of Existence first.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	24. 24: Ex Battle

**A/N: The tournament resumes now, and everyone is on edge over the first match of the day. Now, for me, this is one of the most difficult chapters I have worked on PERIOD. I mean, I have to type up a conflict between two dual swordsmen. Despite that, I did my best to keep up to the standards, and eventually make this chapter a success for it to be readable. While I type these, I have decided to have Pyrrha go up against a certain vampire scythe wielder in the quarterfinals, as well as bring back a few familiar faces for Hunter in the Semi-finals.**

**Preferred song for the chapter: Celldweller – I Can't Wait**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Summer Rose POV**

**Food Court, Fortune City**

**8:13 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 21****st****, 4021**

Last night was the worst for me to deal with. Thanks to Glynda, most of the Atlantica's games were now trashed and needed to be replaced, and she now has a record from Ultor. I was given the easy way out, since I didn't do anything wrong, but the security took me in to question about the events that occurred in the casino. Because of last night, I never got enough sleep, and am currently running on three cups of strong Columbian coffee.

Since it was early in the morning, I figured the teams (excluding CRDL, who are still recovering from Genki's assault) were brought over to the food court by either Chris or Dark-Greymon. Right as I was, they were seen at a table chatting over the events that occurred yesterday, but Chris and Neo weren't with them. Instead, I saw both Ragna and Scales besides Pyrrha, who is apparently wearing the female variant of the Grim Reaper's apparel. Curious enough, I sat beside Dark-Greymon, eager to join in the conversations and hopefully forget about last night.

"Summer, I'm glad to see you awake," Dark-Greymon said to me, taking a sip out of his coffee. "From the way you look, I'm guessing that you had a rough night?"

"You don't know the half of it," I bluntly stated, undoing my ponytail to fix my hair. "Ultor security took me and Glynda in for questioning after she destroyed most of the Atlantica Casino. They knew I had nothing to do with the damage, but because of the questioning, I never got a good night's sleep."

"Sounds rough, but at least you had it better than Ruby. She's been traumatized after listening over _something_."

"Something," I asked, curious over what could have scared her. "Dark-Greymon, what the hell are you talking about?"

He leaned in to my ear and covered his mouth from everyone else watching us. "Apparently, she listened to both Hunter and Neo having sex last night. She's been trying to forget the details right now, but a single mention of their names causes her to freak out."

"She listened to them fucking each other's brains out," I yelled out at him, only to calm down and look at my daughter. "Ruby, I'm not sure if anyone has given you the 'talk,' and I doubt Taiyang sat down to speak about it, but there will be a time when a man and a woman love each other so much, they engage in some rather questionable acts. Since both Chris and Neo love each other, they are entitled to do such acts. Just remember, when you get older, you will fall in love with someone to the point where you can't see your life without them."

All that Ruby did as I was explaining the basics of sex to her was cover her ears and plants her face on the table. I began to scold myself for bringing up that topic to her, but I know that it has to be brought up at some point in her life. I know for a fact that one: I won't trust Chris with that topic, 2: the UNSC eggheads will go and complicate things for her, and three: I doubt that Dark-Greymon understands the human biology. I then thought about Chris and Neo again, wondering about what they're up to.

"By the way, where the hell are those two," I asked my Bio-weapon partner. "What could be so important that they can't be with us?"

"Here's the thing," he said as he pulled something out, handing it over to me. "Those are the current listings of the quarterfinal matches. Since Chris made it to the quarterfinals, he was considered to be first for today's matches against his ex: Nagisa Takahashi. However, I have found out who's also in the tournament." He paused to point at a picture of a woman with long, pink hair. "She's what caught his attention. Summer, Mistral has entered the Terror is Reality tournament in the hopes of killing Hunter, but there is a high likelihood that she'll face Pyrrha in the semi's. He's gone to meet with TK to make a few changes, so that he'll have a chance to kill her instead."

"Mistral's with Desperado, isn't she," I asked him to confirm, to which he nodded. "So she's with that bastard Frasso."

"Frasso?"

"The man you call Monsoon, Dark-Greymon," I stated. "He has been alive for two millennia because of his cyborg enhancements, and he's the man who killed a squad I was a part of. Because of what he did, I won't stop until he is put to the ground completely."

"Well, if Hunter deals a major blow to Desperado by killing Mistral in the tournament," he started, rubbing my shoulder to calm me down. "He will know from her where he is, and what he is up to in Remnant. All we have to do now… is wait it out until the match against Mistral. From there, we plan out what to do about Desperado, the bio-weapons and possibly the one orchestrating the strings. But first, Mistral is our top priority."

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Terror is Reality Tournament, Fortune City**

**11:59 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 21****st****, 4021**

"_HELLO EVERYONE, TO ANOTHER DAY OF THE TERROR IS REALITY TOURNAMENT MATCHES,_" everyone heard Zach as he started his announcement. "_I hope you're ready for another set of crazy match ups, and boy do we have something in store for you. For those of you joining in today, I am your announcer, Zach Martin, and with me as always, the man with a lovable attitude, Bobby Morenoz._"

"_That's right folks, and we're proud to announce that as of today, TK, the CEO of Ultor has confirmed that they have succeeded in resupplying the game show with zombies from the ruins of Willamette. That means that next week, we will return to what we do best at TiR: zombie slaying carnage,_" Bobby added in the info from the intercom. "_As for the tournament, we will be starting off the quarterfinal matches. Our competitors are ready to slice and dice, slash and burn, and any other saying that involves cutting the shit out of people. Starting it off is the most infamous matchup: Clash of the Blazing Dragons._"

The crowd roared with life over the announcement the hosts have made, and already they are picking sides as to who will win the quarterfinal match. Right in the arena center stood Chris Hunter, where instead of the Spartan armor he wore yesterday, decided to wear his casual wear consisting of his black hoodie, dark blue shirt, jet black jeans and a pair of black runners. Right in front of him was Nagisa, who wore Spartan III armor consisting of the CQB variety. The armor color was the same as her hair, consisting of a beige brown with dark red highlights.

"_That's right folks, today's starting quarterfinal match will show us the devastation between Sky Marshal Hunter and ex-girlfriend, Nagisa Takahashi. Both of them are masters of the Twin Katana, as well as the wielders of the Dragon Spirits of Fire Helios and Alastor. The only difference that this match will bring is that one of them will progress to the Semifinals, while the other goes home empty handed._"

"Well Chris, are you ready to lose today," Nagisa teased him after hearing Zach's description of the two fighters. "Cause tonight, I'm going to reclaim what was once Mine."

"You won't be winning this tournament, Nagisa," he blurted out to her. "I made a promise last night, and I plan on keeping it. Besides," he paused to form his Blazing Masamunes out of flames, "You have really started to get on my nerves."

"Then let's make another promise for you." She also started to form katanas out of flames, only hers was of the Beam Katana variety. "You win, and I leave you alone for good, but if I win, you have to dump that whore of a girl and come back to me."

Both fighters began to take on their combat stances, and the crowd began to watch in anticipation for the upcoming bloodbath. Neo, who heard what Nagisa said, placed her hands into fists, hoping that she'll learn never to be too obsessive. She then closed her eyes and began hoping for Chris to keep his promise from last night.

(**A/N: cue music**)

As if someone blew a horn, both Hunter and Nagisa began to make their way towards each other, raising their weapons to strike down. As they got close enough, Nagisa went for a downwards strike, bringing her beam katana down to his body. The hit never connected, and she saw his blade blocking her attack before tilting and parried her sword away. She then used the blade in her other hand to strike again, hitting his arm in the process. He felt a small tinge of pain as Nagisa's weapon scratched and burned him, so he twisted his body and kicked her in the stomach, sending her back a few feet. Wanting to keep close to his opponent, he dashed towards Nagisa, only to be hit by her Blazing Fang arte.

All Neo could do was watch the match between her boyfriend and his ex, now understanding how he has trained Nagisa. The ex-girlfriend was satisfied with how she prevented him from getting closer, so she stabbed her beam katanas into the ground, creating pillars of fire that homed in on Hunter. He was able to dodge two of the pillars, but barely managed to hold his own when the third pillar hit him. Luckily, only his prosthetic arm was engulfed by the fire, covering it in an ash black coating. Using his Spirit's power, he grabbed a handful of flames from a pillar and chucked it at Nagisa, hitting her in the leg.

The ex-girlfriend was wincing in pain after getting hit by her own fire, so she guided her hand over to where the burn is and initiated a healing arte. She never got a chance to complete the enchantment, and Hunter made his way over to her, striking her legs with his blades. His body was crouched enough, so Nagisa lifted her left leg and kneed him in the jaw, finishing with a roundhouse kick to keep him away from her. She then went back to initiating her healing arte, completing it and getting rid of the burn at the same time. Her satisfaction was short lived when her opponent sent over several Blazing Fang shockwaves, forcing her to dodge a few and getting hit with the last shockwave.

The crowd continued to shout out in excitement as the battle began to escalate further, and all that did was spark more power into Nagisa's weapons. Chris took notice of what was happening, figuring out that was about to unleash her more, deadlier abilities. His fears were confirmed when she summoned a small volcano underneath him, spewing out lava as it damages him before dispersing. He never saw another impactful strike as Nagisa closed the gap between them and disarmed Chris of his katanas. She then made haste to deal a devastating blow to end it, only for him to grab her wrists and head butted her. She groaned in pain as she held her head as he went and grabbed his katanas again, and both weapons began to emit a powerful glow.

"Well, Hunter. I believe it's time for our Spirits to join in on this battle," Nagisa said to Hunter, revealing her beam katanas glowing brighter. They both got into a combat stance again, pouring their mana into the weapons. As they exhausted their reserves, they lunged them out into the open, shouting out the name of their ability.

"BLAZEFIRE REVEALER!"

Their katanas were engulfed in a sea of flames as the arte was announced, growing in size until they took on the form of two transparent dragons. The one spawned from Nagisa's weapons was donning golden steel claws, amber eyes pierced out to the open and revealed metallic wings from its back. The one from Hunters looked more like the traditional bipedal dragon, showing off its natural wings from its back, dark brown armor around its body as its crimson red eyes gazed towards its opponent. Everyone excluding the Beacon students knows them as the Blazing Dragons Alastor and Helios.

Ruby and Neo were in awe over the sight of the two Spirits, taking in the appearance of the two dragons. It was short lived when Alastor eyed Helios and charged right at the red eyed dragon, colliding in a conflict while Hunter and Nagisa engaged each other with martial arts. Alastor began its assault against Helios by engaging it with its fists, punching the red and brown dragon while being punched in the face. They both then flew around the arena as they fought against each other, with Alastor swiping its claws at Helios while the latter harms it with his tail. When the darker of the Spirits swiped its tail at its opponent, Alastor quickly grabbed it before it landed on its stomach, throwing Helios into the nearby wall. Alastor then proceeded to breathe fire at the impact site, and the action was followed by Helios as flames shot out from the wall, forcing both of their flames to clash together.

As the Spirits continued on their battle, Nagisa continued her assault on Hunter, throwing kicks one after another against the Sky Marshal. He was forced to block her moves with his arms, moving ahead to prevent her from landing a hit to him. The blocks resulted in the bruising on his left arm and her legs, while his prosthetic arm only showed minor dents from her attacks. Despite the pain they're going through, she still kept at it with kicking her opponent. It only took a few minutes until Hunter grabbed her leg and elbowed it, giving her intense pain as she felt her leg breaking in impact. While she was distracted, Hunter continued to hold her leg as he moved behind her, smashing his prosthetic arm into her head and sending her to the wall.

"_This is starting to heat up even more, Bobby,_" Zach was heard in the intercoms. "_Not only are Hunter and Takahashi out for blood, but even the Spirits Alastor and Helios are duking it out in the competition. We'll see who has the strength to continue this fight and make it into the semifinals._"

"ALASTOR, RETURN TO KATANA MODE," Nagisa shouted out from the impact site she created. "It's about time I finish this."

As her command echoed across the battlefield, Alastor let out one final roar before being engulfed in flames. The fire then proceeded to go to where the girl crashed, receding until it entered the smoke. Hunter wasted no time recalling Helios back into katana mode, seeing the smoke clear to make out Nagisa with her beam katanas glowing rapidly. His fears were confirmed as the glow brightened, covering Nagisa in a pulsing white light. He began to guard against the oncoming ability as she began her enchantment.

"Oh endless beasts that prowl the skies, heed my call and gather before my being!" She positioned her blades to where the tips are pointed at Hunter, and the glow began to emanate faster. "RADIANT DRAGON FANG!"

When the name of the arte was announced, the blade shot out three transparent dragon heads, each heading towards Hunter with the intent to defeat him. He was able to deflect one of the heads, but was helpless as the other two slammed into his body. The head he deflected return to finish what it started, lifting him up from the ground in sync with its fellow two heads. They brought Hunter up a ways in the air until they dissipated, leaving the injured fighter to fall to the ground. He collided with the ground at the center of the arena, but he was quick to struggle to get back on his feet.

"Oh, are you not finished yet," Nagisa said in a seductive tone as she saw him struggle, gripping her beam katanas as they glowed brightly again. "Then maybe I should fix that once and for all. RADIANT DRAGON FANG!"

She sent out another wave of transparent dragon heads after finishing her little speech, and watched in satisfaction as her arte collided with his body again. Neo, watching from her seat, was horrified as her boyfriend was sent back into the air, losing blood after the transparent heads disappeared again. Both girls saw him crash on the ground face down, one with satisfaction and the other in horror. Happy that he wasn't getting up, Nagisa decided to withdraw Alastor, causing her beam katanas to turn into flames before dissipating.

"Well, Hunter, it has been an eventful match," she said before breaking her leg back into shape, making her way to the unconscious Sky Marshal. "But I think it's time you kept your promise to me. Dump that whore of a girl, and return to—"

"GET UP CHRIS," Neo shouted out, interrupting Nagisa in the process. "Remember your promise you made to me last night. Please, get back up for me. I don't want to lose you like I lost Daddy."

"Shut the fuck up, girlie," Nagisa shouted back at the brown and pink haired girl, glaring at her from a distance. "There was no way that he would keep a promise like that. You knew since last night that your time with him… was… up."

What she saw next surprised her. After hearing Neo's reminder, Hunter's body slowly got up from the arena floor, struggling as he lost blood in the process. Neo sighed in relief when she saw him getting back up, while Nagisa's face was mixed with both surprise and fear. When he finally stood up, his eyes were covered by his hair, and a menacing glow covered his body.

"You have really crossed the line this time, Nagisa," he said in a low tone, frightening her. "Not only did you call Neo a whore, but you have insulted her in every way. That is something that I'll never forgive. Nagisa Takahashi, you have angered the Blazing Dragon one last time."

Hunter then activated his trump card in front of Nagisa and the TiR audience: the full Bestial Chromatus. His body was converted to look similar to that of a dragon, cog-shaped wings sprouting out of his back as his spewed out a pair of claws from the knuckles. When Nagisa saw the transformation completed, she instantly redrew her katanas in an effort to fight back, unaware that she will in fact lose to the Chromatus' power.

Hunter, now in his Dragon Chromatus, began his own assault against her by dashing forward to close the gap between them, prepping his claws to strike her down. When he got close to his opponent, Nagisa swiped her plasma blade horizontally, only for him to dodge it and slashed her side. She winced in pain as the claws hit her, but she then took notice of blood as her body began to bleed. He never stopped his assault, for as she sliced at him, he dodged and struck her with his power. He knew he had to finish her off, so he kicked her back to her impact site on the wall, before summoning a pillar of light in his hand.

"Hey Nagisa, you may want to not miss this," he shouted at her as he prepped the pillar, but the threat fell on deaf ears as she dashed towards him. "Suit yourself. It's your loss anyways."

Without wasting a second, he chucked the pillar of light at Nagisa, hitting her in the center and pushing her back. She coughed out some blood as the pillar went through her without leaving a gaping hole in her stomach, but was afraid after seeing something else. Due to the hit connecting to her body, Hunter conjured up more light pillars around him, all pointed towards the ex-girlfriend. One swift movement was all it took, as he initiated the Full Bestial Chromatus' mystic arte by chucking the pillars at her.

"Feel the power," he started the enchantment as he through the lights at Nagisa, "of the full… BESTIAL CHROMATUS!" The last pillar struck Nagisa as he dashed forward, slicing her with the same speed he achieved with his signature Savage Wolf Fury. As he slashed her, the claws began to glow brightly, and knew it was the end. "ETERNAL WALTZ!"

He brought down his claws as he shouted the name of the arte, only to be blocked by Nagisa's beam katanas. However, due to the nature of the ability, he continuously pulled his hands down as her blades started to lose power. She held her stance for a while, but even she knew that she won't last long to Hunter's Chromatus. It was then that her katanas dimmed out completely, causing Hunter's claws to penetrate through her defences and sent her flying to the arena walls. Her new impact was too powerful that she coughed out more blood, passing out completely in the process.

"_This is incredible,_" Zach shouted out in the intercom. "_After getting hit with her Radiant Dragon Fang mystic arte TWICE, Chris Hunter was able to withstand it and finished the match with the full Bestial Chromatus. And to think, all it took was the encouragement of a girl in the stands, reminding him of a promise he made to her. Whoever it was that did that, you have helped the Blazing Dragon move on to the semifinals._"

"_Without a doubt in my mind, Zach,_" Bobby told his partner. "_However, Hunter initiated the Chromatus while suffering major damage from the fight. Even though the power heals all of his injuries, it will leave him very exhausted. Just be glad that he'll need his breath for the matches instead of becoming a monstrous Divergence Catalyst. He'll need all the strength he can muster before his Semifinal match up_."

True to what Bobby said, the Chromatus dissipated from Hunter, leaving him tumbling down to his knees and breathing heavily. His family and girlfriend became worried as to what happened, but breathed a sigh of relief as he held his fist up in the air. The crowd then cheered for his victory as he made his way to the exit, getting the help of a few medics in the process.

"Ruby," Summer spoke up to her daughter in the seats. "I need you to go check up on your brother, see if he needs any water."

"Alright," Ruby said back as she got up from her seat. However, she suddenly felt dizzy for a brief moment before feeling better. She looked over to her friends with worried expressions on their faces, telling them that she's ok. She then made her way out to the open, eager to check up on her brother.

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Arena Locker Rooms, Fortune City**

**12:45 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 21****st****, 4021**

That fight I had with Nagisa was tense to say the least. Not only did we unleash the Spirits Alastor and Helios into the public eye, but she tried to kill me with her mystic arte TWICE. If I didn't get Neo's encouragement, I would have lost the tournament. I guess I have to thank both her and the Bestial Chromatus for getting me this far in the battles. Now all I have to worry about now is the Semifinals, which I hope I'll face Mistral, and the Finals.

Due to the Chromatus activating when I was severely injured, I kept taking deep breaths to calm myself and regain my strength. However, my concentration was ruined when Ruby came in here. She was out of breath when she came into the locker room, which made me believe that she ran all the way here from her seat in the arena.

"CHRIS, YOU IDIOT," I heard her shout out as she got closer, freaking me out in the process. "DID YOU KNOW HOW CLOSE YOU WERE TO DEATH? WHAT WERE YOU EVEN THINKING?"

"Whoa Ruby, just calm down," I said, raising my hands up in the process. "All I did was give Nagisa a good thrashing and keeping my promise at the same time. Besides, it did work out in the end thanks to my Chromatus, right?"

All I got from her next was a hard punch to the left shoulder, causing me to shout out in pain as she spoke again.

"You really don't understand, do you? You were severely wounded after she used that mystic arte twice, and I thought you were about to kick the bucket." She started to break out in tears as she continued. "I already lost mom when I was five years old, and it only took meeting you and saving Johnny for me to see her again. I don't want to lose her again, but I don't want to lose you too. Don't you see, you guys are my family."

"Ruby," I said, surprised to see her break down, causing me to give her a light hug. "You should know that it's going to take more than two mystic artes to take me down. Besides, I have something to protect now: you guys."

Ruby only gave me a light punch in my shoulder as I let go of the hug, making me gasp in fake pain when she looked at me. All I got from her afterwards was a death glare that would put mine to shame, only for it to turn into playful laughter. I was confused as to why she was laughing, only to start laughing along with her.

"Oh my god," I heard Ruby say between the laughing. "I think I'm starting to become you. Jeez bro, you are such a bad role model for me."

"Oh come on," I pouted at her accusation. "I can't be that bad of a role model. I mean, why are you making me into the bad guy here?"

Another round of laughter came from her as I said that, but that quickly changed into her gripping her body in pain. I instantly went over to check up on her, worried about what was happening to her. As I started comforting her, her screaming began to increase in pitches. It didn't take long for it to get noticed by the other contenders, and I saw both Ragna and Scales look at me in shock.

"Wha… What the hell is going on here," Scales spoke up as he saw Ruby screaming in pain. "Is she alright, Blazing Dragon?"

"How the hell should I know," I asked the dino, glaring at him and Ragna. "All I know was that Ruby and I were laughing our hearts out, and then out of nowhere, she was like this."

"Damn it," Ragna cursed out. "We have no choice. We're going to have to get the medics over here and bring her to the infirmary. Scales, I need you to track them down. I have no doubt they're looking over Nagisa's wounds right now."

The Sharpclaw nodded in agreement before dashing off, leaving the Grim Reaper, myself and my screaming-in-pain sister. All I could do was comfort her as she continued gripping her body in pain, usually getting grabbed by her to let her know I'm here. One thing's for sure, I have to let mom know about what's going on with Ruby. I just hope she has the right answers.

* * *

**A/N: Well, Nagisa has been defeated to the hands of Chris Hunter's Chromatus powers, but now he's got another problem in his hands: Ruby's sudden ailment.**

**Now this chapter was one of the hardest chapters to plan and word out here, but thanks to some head clearing (and watching my pre-order of Jojo season one DVD), I was able to get it done. I have always wanted to have Nagisa's mystic arte to be Radiant Dragon Fang from Tales of Vesperia, seeing as it would fit her. Not only that, but I also wanted to show that there were times when Spirit Wielders (Hunter, Ruby, etc.) can call their Spirits out to the battles. Now, I have been doing some thinking, and I think that the girls of team RWBY should also get Spirits of their own, only they will be born from their weapons. It is only an idea, but I figured I should bring it out for others to think of it.**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	25. 25: Ruby's Ailment

**A/N: What could be happening to Ruby now that she's in pain? Only Summer has the answer to that question.**

**Now, I have the time to explain something going on here. During the events of Change of Existence, when she was trying to get herself drunk on cola, she told Dark-Greymon that she gave birth to twins, and that due to the unstable storm, Ruby came back as a 15 year old while her brother Hunter was 17. I left a small hint telling that at some point, her body will age rapidly by two years, causing her a great deal of pain. Needless to say, Ruby will be 17 along with her brother for the rest of the fan fiction now. This chapter will also have a brief fight in the beginning as well, as it will build up the Semifinal fight with Chris Hunter.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Summer Rose POV**

**Terror is Reality Tournament, Fortune City**

**13:14 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 21****st****, 4021**

It has been a long time since I saw Ruby leave to check up on Chris, and I am starting to get somewhat worried. I know I did send her after him after his match against his ex, but normally a checkup usually lasts a few minutes. As the minutes passed, I can't help but keep looking at the exit, wondering if she will come back and take her seat to watch the other matches.

Since Ruby was taking her time with Chris, I kept my eyes on the current quarterfinal match, where I saw a yellow clad ninja take on what looks like a bipedal Triceratops. The ninja was armed with a small assortment of weapons, from twin katanas to a kunai, while the Triceratops relied more on his fists and that big looking axe in his hands. The battle was pretty much at its halfway point, when I saw the orange dino get pulled to his opponent with his kunai, only to ram his face to the ninja's stomach.

"Well then Scorpion, you know what will happen right now," I heard the big brute of a dinosaur say to the man, gripping his axe as it started to glow. "You should have taken the smart move and forfeit the tournament before it began. Too bad, seeing as how you made it this far in Terror is Reality, only to lose now."

I saw the Triceratops grip the axe as it glowed brighter, seeing him jump up in the air as the crowd roared to life. I can tell that the ninja would be frightened over what would happen, knowing that he can't stop a mystic arte. It was when he was about to smash into the ground that the Triceratops announced the name of the arte.

"CRIMSON DEVASTATION!"

The dino slammed his axe into the arena floors afterwards, creating a powerful shockwave that caused debris to from and scatter around the area. Scorpion never a chance to react at all when the debris collided with his body, causing him to scream out in pain as he flew into the walls of the arena. Everyone around me cheered as the bipedal dinosaur placed his axe behind his back, knowing that he won the round.

"_Absolutely stunning here, ladies and gentlemen,_" I heard Zach on the speakers. "_It would seem that Traximus, the general of the Triceratons, has won his match against Hanzo Hasashi, and will move on into the semifinals. The only question is who will he be facing?_"

"_I have the answer to that one, Zach,_" Bobby was heard next. "_The Triceraton himself will be going up against the Blazing Dragon, Chris Hunter. Too bad though, everyone was hoping for a match between the Scorpion and the Dragon to happen._"

"I FORFEIT," I heard Traximus shout out from the arena, causing everyone to spit take on what he said.

"_What the hell? We have never seen a forfeit this far in the tournament, and now Traximus is giving up his chance,_" Zach ranted. "_I guess that means with his forfeit and Hasashi's defeat, we're going to have to replace them with a clone or two. Luckily, we here at Terror is Reality have someone in mind._"

My phone suddenly vibrated in my breast as Zach finished his announcement, causing me to check it for any updates. I saw that I had a text from Glynda telling me to get her out of Ultor custody, but I just ignored it. The text after that was from Chris though, so I opened it up to see its contents. What was written caused me to be shocked, so I ran out over to where he was. Neo followed me as I left my seat, curious as to what got me to be like this.

Please, don't tell me. Don't tell me that it started to happen to Ruby already.

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**TiR Infirmary Room, Fortune City**

**13:21 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 21****st****, 4021**

I saw that match that transpired on the TV, but all it did was distract me from what was going on. It has been more than a half an hour since Ruby suddenly started screaming out in pain, and it took both myself and Ragna to get her into the infirmary. I already thanked Scales when he brought the medics over, and all three of us started to worry about her situation. Seeing as I'm the closest to her, I texted mom to tell her what happened, and my guess is that she's already on her way.

Due to the screaming Ruby has been throwing, the medics gave her a few sedatives to put her to sleep. It was the only way that they could examine her health, going from the x-rays to a few examinations. Because of the nature of their work, they had the three of us to stay outside for a few minutes until they were done. To my surprise, both mom and Neo rushed over to us, taking deep breaths from what I assumed was from running over.

"How is she," mom asked me, showing me a worried expression. "Is Ruby going to be alright?"

"They're still examining her right now," Ragna told her for me. "We have no idea as to how it happened, and so far, not even the docs could find out either. What we do know is that she's under some sedatives, so that they could look over her body."

"She gave us quite a scare too," Scales added in to the conversation. "Before all of this, both Hunter and Ruby have been laughing their asses off. If this is some sort of virus work happening, then… I don't know. It just seems too bizarre right now."

The door to the medical room slowly opened, grabbing all of our attention to the doctor. To my surprise, the medic I am seeing was in fact a friend of mine, making out the green eyes and light blonde hair hanging freely. Her attire, instead of the traditional female nurse outfit, was a scientist's outfit, complete with a lab coat. Underneath the coat was a light pink dress shirt, beige jeans, and a pair of pink runners to complete her look. I knew the doctor as the young genius thirteen year old: Elize Lutus.

"I guess that all of you are here for a Miss Ruby Rose," she asked us until she saw me. "Chris, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for the semifinals?"

"Hey Elize," I said to the young girl. "Sorry to drop in unannounced, but we are here for my sister. What about you though? What happened to your schooling?"

"Well, that is a funny story to tell," a voice popped up behind Elize, and a flying plush toy appeared to greet us. "Elize was just minding her business, getting A's in her exams, and then Ultor came to the school and offered her a job as a medic and scientist. She was a little troubled over the thought, but her friends encouraged her to take the gig. You are now looking at an official scientist of the Ultor Corporation."

"Teepo, why are you here," I questioned the plush doll.

"You know me, Hunter. With me around, Elize can keep herself focused on her research and help out those in the tournament. Now, if you would all kindly follow us."

We all followed Elize and Teepo as they lead us to my sister, and Neo began to question me about the plush doll floating beside the girl. I told her that Teepo isn't just a toy, but a device capable of enhancing the power of artes called a Booster. I also told her that since he stays beside her always, he helps her increase the power of her healing artes. While going through with it, Elize grabbed our attentions when she stood in front of a curtain.

"Ok, this is just from our observations," she started when she grabbed the curtain. "We did all sorts of tests to figure out the cause of her pain, going from x-rays', blood tests, etc. We even went so far as to try my healing artes, but all of them had no effect on her. Right now, she is still sleeping due to the sedatives, but one major find we discovered was that her body was growing."

"Because of that find, we tried looking around the globe for an expert on that field," Teepo added in. "However, to our luck, no one was available and/or have no clue what this phenomena is. What you're about to see is a half an hour in to her change."

They pulled the curtain to reveal a sleeping Ruby, and her body shocked us completely. True to what the duo said, she has grown a few inches, and her hody has defined itself to almost look like mom's. Her hair was also shown to be grown out a bit, appearing to have passed the shoulders. As we continued to observe her more, mom began to tear up a bit after gripping her hand into a fist.

"It's happening now," she said to herself, grabbing mine and everyone else's attention. "Her body has begun to adjust itself to the status quo. I was afraid that it would happen, but I never thought it would happen during the tournament."

"Wait a minute, you knew this would happen," Ragna questioned her. "And what do you mean by 'adjust itself to the status quo?' What the hell does this have to do with Ruby?"

"I mean exactly that." She paused to brush some of Ruby's bangs off of her face. "Ruby here is Chris' twin sister, and yet she appeared to him two years younger. The universal law states that if a twin were to see a sibling years older than them, their body begins a painful sequence of Aging Rapid Progression, or ARP for short. It could take an hour to half a day to finish the procedure, fixing the status quo of the twin system. Ruby here saw Chris when she was fifteen years old, and he was two years older than her. It was only natural for her body to readjust so that she's seventeen years old."

"Then what the hell are we going to do about it," Scales questioned mom, raising his tone at her. "Don't you see that she is suffering right now?"

"It's not how that works," She said at the Sharpclaw. "We're lucky that she's aging faster by two years. The procedure that her body is going through right now will end when the tournament is over. That way, the pain she went through will be gone for good, but she will have to get used to a more, matured body."

"So in other words, if either myself or Pyrrha wins the TiR tournament," I started as I looked at mom. "Then Ruby will be OK, right?"

All that mom did after I asked was nod her head to answer my question. I looked back at my sleeping sister lying on the medical bed. I then felt Neo place her hand on my shoulder, making me look at her with a saddened expression. She can already tell that I am worried, so she enveloped me in a hug to calm me down.

"If you're thinking of forfeiting the tournament now," she whispered to me. "Then you're going to get your ass kicked by Ruby when she wakes up. Keep going through the rounds, take out anyone you face, and win it for her. You can do this, Chris. Do it for me, and do it for Ruby."

Hearing her tell me that got me thinking about what Ruby would've wanted from me, and I separated from the hug in realization. I looked at Ruby one more time before rubbing her forehead, letting her know that I was there for her. I then made my way back to the locker rooms after giving Neo a short kiss, intent on moving forward in Terror is Reality.

* * *

**A/N: With Ruby's condition identified, all that waits for them is for the tournament to end in either Hunter's or Pyrrha's victory.**

**I am well aware that this chapter is a lot shorter than the ones I have written for Remnant Crisis. However, since I have ended the previous chapter with Ruby crying out in pain, I wanted to elaborate more on what it was. By typing it, I have cleared off any other plans as to have Ruby go through the pain while dealing with Desperado. In either case, I have succeeded in doing this chapter. As for the start, I had to have Scorpion and Traximus from the 2003 TMNT animated series to fight each other.  
**

**Next chapter is the Quarterfinal match between Pyrrha and a certain Vampire Scythe Wielder.**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	26. 26: Zorin Blitz

**A/N: I can't believe I am saying this, but it's time for some illusions to rise.**

**Now that I got the condition of Ruby's Ailment out of the way, I believe it's time to continue on the Terror is Reality tournament, only this is the last quarterfinal match to pan out. Seeing as I have seen Hellsing Ultimate so many times, I have the grasp on how this particular vampire fights and operates. With that knowledge, I have implemented her style into the tournament match in the hopes of breaking Pyrrha.**

**Preferred song for the chapter: Disturbed - Haunted**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Terror is Reality Tournament, Fortune City**

**14:59 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 21****st****, 4021**

"_The quarterfinals are close to the finishing touches now, and boy were we surprised,_" Zach was heard in the intercoms. "_We started out first with the battle of the Blazing Dragons, with Chris Hunter moving on to the Semis. Then the battle between Traximus and Scorpion, where both of them were unable to move on due to Hasashi's defeat and the Triceraton's forfeit. Finally, the battle between the Cold Wind of France and the Immortal Guardian, with Mistral moving on to the semifinals, while Caius returns home to his duties. But now, we have a very unique fight waiting to start._"

The crowd began to cheer in anticipation for over seeing the next carnage, and the members of JNPR shouted out for their teammate to win. Right in the arena stood Pyrrha, wearing the same kind of clothes Ragna wore; only it was more for the female variety. It still allowed her to draw out Milo and Akouo, which she found was helpful. She kept her eyes peeled to the other side of the arena as the doors began to open, revealing a muscled out woman. The woman wore a men's tank top and military grade jeans and combat boots, along with a pair of dog tags on her neck. Her most noticeable features included the additional eye socket on her right hand, along with half her body covered in tattoos.

"_Indeed Zach, and boy do we have a whopper here,_" Bobby told his partner. "_We have our new rising fighter, the Scarlet Demon Pyrrha Nikos, ready to fight her opponent. Speaking of which, our next combatant is a feared scythe wielder of the defunct vampire army Millennium, a former soldier who lived through World War II and a decorated officer of the Nazis. Ladies, gentlemen and all sentient life in the cosmos, she is the Illusionist Reaper, Zorin Blitz._"

"So my next opponent happens to a young girl, who bested the Grim Reaper and the Sharpclaw General," the newly identified Zorin asked the girl, forcing Pyrrha to arm herself immediately. "I have to say that you do have a lot of potential. It's too bad that you'll have to lose now."

"And I'm guessing that you're a real vampire," Pyrrha asked the scythe wielder, to which Zorin nodded. "Then I guess you are sad that your friends, the Reapers are gone a month ago."

"Tsck, oh please. The Reapers were nothing more than weak garbage compared to me. Those little shits never should have trusted that damned Shadow Hunter." Zorin paused to spin around her scythe, creating a dark purple glow that emanated through to her body. "It was to be expected, though. It just means that you get to face a powerful, more genuine vampire."

"No matter what happens, I won't go down that easy," Pyrrha said to her opponent. "I will make it through this tournament, and I will defeat you."

The vampire only laughed at her remark, raising her glowing right hand as an eye was revealed on it. "Then try to defeat me then, Scarlet Demon. That is, if you can survive my illusions."

(**A/N: cue music**)

Zorin then slammed her hand on the floor, causing her tattoos to replicate and spread out. Pyrrha took notice of what the vampire was doing, seeing the lettering from her body to condense themselves into a slime like form. It was then that it began to take the form of beowolves, the common monster of the Creatures of Grimm, surprising her and the teams from Beacon. More beowolves appeared from the power that Zorin emanated to the ground, creating an army of monsters to take on Pyrrha.

"What the hell," Jaune shouted out from his seat. "What are the Creature of Grimm doing here. I thought you guys told us that Earth doesn't have any."

"Those are nothing more than illusions, Jaune," Dark-Greymon told the blonde knight. "Like the announcers said, Zorin is a master of illusion. Instead of relying on artes, she conjures up figures that closely resemble monsters to her foes. This is basically one of her tactics that you are seeing here: weaken the foe with illusions that seem and feel real, then close the gap to use memories and nightmares against you. When she succeeds in those factors, she moves in for the kill with her scythe."

"But that means… Pyrrha will be fighting the illusions, not Zorin," he concluded the Bio-weapon's theory.

When the phantom army was completed, Zorin unleashed the monsters towards Pyrrha, content with seeing her work to fight the young girl. Pyrrha herself readied her weapon to fight, and when a beowolf got close enough, she dodged its claw before plunging her javelin in its stomach. The monster cried out in pain for a moment before she removed Milo and beheaded it. What surprised her was that, instead of disintegrating into black smoke, the Grimm dissolved into a dark purple mist, where she can see the lettering of the tattoos floating until they disappeared.

Without even thinking, she dodged another attack from another one of Zorin's beowolf illusions, slicing its arms off and kicking it to its brethren. Another illusion appeared besides the redhead, ready to bite her arm and rip it out. However, a piercing sound was made as the monster was stabbed in the head, killing the monster and leaving Pyrrha alone. The rest of the monsters heard Zorin's mental order to tear Pyrrha apart, charging over to where the redhead stood.

Everyone watched in total awe as Pyrrha began to mow down on the illusions, while Jaune and his team were annoyed with Zorin's tactics. Even if they could, they couldn't get to Pyrrha as she's fighting a vampire. Out of all of them, Jaune is worried the most, believing that the scythe wielder would kill and turn the red head at any time in the match. He made a mental note to himself to look out for Pyrrha from now on, unaware that he is starting to develop feelings for her.

Each of the illusional beowolves were easily dispatched by the red haired girl, but Zorin was getting started. Gathering more mana, she poured more of her power to create illusions of the Blaze Claw and the Frost Claw, bear type monsters native on Earth's volcanic and arctic regions respectively. Both monsters glared at Pyrrha in an instant, and the fiery bear began to march towards her. Since she has never faced both of them before, Pyrrha began to worry about what to do before the Blaze Claw towered before her. With a load roar, the monster brought up its arms before smashing them to the ground, sending Pyrrha a few feet back due to the shockwave it created.

Not to be outdone by its fiery partner, the Frost Claw roared out to the crowd as it jumped into the air, spinning around until it landed on the ground. Due to it spinning, the ice type monster was rolling on the ground, launching itself towards the Blaze Claw and Pyrrha. She wasn't prepared for what was coming, and once the Frost Claw collided with her, her body was sent in the air from the impact. The monster wasted no time in getting back on its feet, and it slammed its claw on her stomach, sending her into the arena walls. It, along with the Blaze Claw, roared in satisfaction as they admired the damage they have done.

"Professor, have you seen those monsters before," Ren asked the Bio-weapon sitting in front of him while looking at the illusions. "I already know of the Blaze Claw, but what about the blue one?"

"The Frost Claw," Dark-Greymon asked to confirm Ren, to which he nodded. "To be honest, the UNSC has never encountered that monster in our lives before. We believe that they are native to both the Arctic and Antarctic regions of Earth, but have never seen them ourselves. Due to the nature of their bodies, I have strong beliefs that they aren't strong against fire, so anything with that element will easily kill it."

"Fire," Jaune said before he placed the pieces together, standing up to shout at his partner. "Pyrrha, use the fire Dust ammunition or provoke the Blaze Claw to hurt its friend. The Frost Claw is weak against fire."

Both Zorin and the monstrous illusions couldn't believe what they have heard, but the vampire was in for a surprise as gunshots rang out and impacts harmed the Frost Claw. The ice blue cried out in pain as it felt bullets colliding with its body, but then it screamed out in pain as the fire Dust in the bullets ignited in flames, engulfing its body in the process. Pyrrha herself stepped out of the smoke from her impact point, armed with Milo in rifle form and continued firing on the flame engulfed Frost Claw. All the monster did was wave its arms around to get rid of its current ailment, but due to the redhead's constant firing and the spreading fire, all of its efforts were in vain. It let out a death roar as it tumbled down to the ground, lifeless and dissipated.

The Blaze Claw became enraged over its icy partner's death, so when it glared at Pyrrha, its roar screeched out to the public. The Spartan girl covered her ears to stop the deafening sound, but that simple action allowed the monster to walk up in front of the dazed girl. Before she realized it, the Blaze Claw unleashed its heated claws and started slashing her body, cutting and burning her as it went faster with its strikes. Pyrrha cried out in pain due to the burns she gained, but she never saw the monster raise its arms before it slammed them down on the ground. The force of the impact was the same as last time, only this time Pyrrha landed on her back on the arena floors, panting as the Blaze Claw approaches to her.

_If the monster I killed was weak against fire,_ she thought to herself when the Blaze Claw was inches away. _Then the opposite can be true for this monster. I have to hit it with ice before I can defeat it_.

With that in mind, she waited for the opportunity to strike as the Blaze Claw raised its arms in the air. When the monster swung down to the ground, Pyrrha rolled out of the way in time as it slammed down on the ground. Due to the confusion she gave it, the Blaze Claw looked around its new impact site to find its prey while she switched her ammunition from fire Dust to ice Dust. It didn't take long for the monster to realize it missed its mark, but by the time it spotted her, she opened fire at its legs. It didn't feel pain at first, but it suddenly screamed out in agony as the ice Dust triggered in its body, encasing its feet to the floor with a cold, frozen prison. Zorin, who was still maintaining her pose, was surprised to see Pyrrha actually harming the illusional fire bear monster, witnessing the girl continuing her gunfire at the trapped beast.

As soon as Pyrrha fired her last ice Dust round, most of the Blaze Claw's body was encased in ice, with only its head free from its prison. Desperate, the monsters started to breath in what appears to be flames, only to breathe it out as a laser with fire spewing out of its mouth. Pyrrha thought that it would do that thanks to the knowledge from Dark-Greymon's classes, and so she jumped to the side to avoid the heat blast it gave off. She then noticed that due to the monster's attack, the ice around it has started to thaw out. She shifted Milo into Javelin mode before aiming it at its center, and before the audience knew it, she chucked her weapon through the Blaze Claw, piercing where its heart would be. She then used her semblance to draw her weapon back, grabbing it and swiping it in the air to get rid of any illusional blood. As she did that, the ice around its body shattered, leaving the now deceased monster to collapse on the arena floors.

"Is that all you had, Zorin," Pyrrha shouted out as the monster's body began to dissipate. "I was expecting a lot more than a few monsters. Why don't you come out and fight me yourself?"

"Gladly," was all she heard before Zorin appeared in front of her, grabbing her face and lifting her up in the air. Jaune and his team was surprised to see Zorin pulling through with her tactics, but they all know that Pyrrha still had a lot more strength left. What they didn't know was that the hand that was holding Pyrrha in the air was the one that can create the vampire's illusions. As Pyrrha began to struggle, Zorin pulled all of her mana and engulfed her body with her power.

"Now then," the scythe wielder began. "How about we go down through your lifetime, take a trip down memory lane as I choose the best ones to use against you."

Pyrrha's vision took a turn for the worst. Before, she was at the Terror is Reality tournament, and now she is looking at a moment of her past: her discovery of her semblance. This caused her to see men in black at the front door of her house, talking to a woman who appears to be her mother.

"_I am telling you, your daughter will become the face of the kingdom of Mistral_," one of the men told the woman. "_All that we are asking is for your full cooperation, and in so doing, you will receive large sums of Lien._"

"_I have never really thought about that,_" the woman replied back. "_I mean, it may cause her to have a unique childhood. But when it comes to the money… I'll gladly accept._"

"_Mommy, I don't want to be famous_," Pyrrha looked to see a younger version of her: a six year old Pyrrha Nikos. "_I just want to be a normal girl. I want to have friends to hang out with, go to the movies and spend days with them._"

"_Hush Pyr, We are looking into your future now. Don't you want to live a life of luxury, where you can be heralded as a celebrity?_"

"That's all in the past," The real Pyrrha told herself as the memory subsided.

"Hmm, maybe that didn't hit the mark," Zorin said with a devilish smile. "I know, let's go Deeper."

The next memory Pyrrha witnessed next was set a few years after the men in black was at the door. She was standing in front of what looks like an elementary school, with kids going around the playground playing games with each other. They all stopped to look at a slightly older Pyrrha Nikos, giving her glares that would kill a monster with a single look.

"_Oh great, it's the celebrity, Pyrrha Nikos,_" one of the kids said. "_Look, why are you wasting your time with us? We all know that you are better than us._"

"_What are you talking about,_" the young Pyrrha talked back to the kids. "_I am here to make friends. I don't think I'm—_"

"_CAN IT,_" the boss of the kids shouted at her. "_We all know that you are just a Big, Fat, LIAR! You say that you want friends, but the moment you get them, you'll only brag about your celebrity status. I only have one piece of advice: LEAVE US THE HELL ALONE!_"

When all was said and done, the kids left the young Pyrrha alone, causing her to cry out on her own. Pyrrha, while seeing the memory, closed her eyes to shut out what happened to herself as a child, but to weep out a few tears.

"That is all in the past," she told herself. "It's not who I am now."

"Oh, I know what I can do," Zorin said to her illusion's victim. "I think I'll dive into your head deeper, and use the one thing you're afraid of: YOUR NIGHTMARE!"

As she said that, she poured in the rest of her mana into Pyrrha's head, causing the redhead to see the worst. The girl is now standing at a warzone on Remnant, with corpses littering the ground. She looks over and sees a monster holding onto what appears to be a Huntsman she never recognized, before it stabs him through the stomach, killing him. She was about to walk up to it, only for her feet to hit a body and making her look at the obstacle. To her horror, the body belonged to her partner Jaune, who appeared to have died from being torn apart.

"J-J-Jaune," she said as she observed the body. "I'm s-sorry for leaving you. Please… forgive me."

"_Pyr… rha_," the fallen blonde forced out. "_You… killed… us… all_."

Hearing him say that made her scream out in agony as the battlefield reverted back to the TiR tournament grounds. Jaune and his team watched in horror as they saw their friend cry out their names, but their expressions changed to anger as Zorin prepped her scythe for the kill. They now understand her tactics, but the question of why remained in their heads. As Zorin placed the blade of her weapon near her opponent's neck, she leaned her head over to Pyrrha's ear, getting ready to win the match.

"Aww, Pyrrha Nikos, it's about time you wake up," the vampire said to her frightened prey. "Did you have yourself a nightmare? Well it's time to put that behind us now, cause Auntie Zorin will _help_ you through this. All I want you to do now is _sleep_ peacefully now."

She reared her scythe a few feat back, aiming to strike her neck in one foul sweep. Her face now adopted a sinister look as she took a step back, preparing herself to move on in the tournament. When she got her stance ready, she launched her scythe in a rapid pace to the neck. The hit never connected as an unseen power was unleashed, preventing Zorin's weapon from piercing Pyrrha's body. The redhead started to tilt her head towards the vampire, and Zorin took in the sight of her soulless, emerald eyes.

Everything else happened in the blink in the eye for the audience, as Pyrrha lunged her javelin right into Zorin's stomach before kicking her into the side. Due to her using up the mana in her illusions, the vampire decided to get into the fight by speeding towards the Spartan girl, closing the gap and swipe her scythe horizontally. The redhead ducked from the weapon, avoiding a fatal blow that would have killed her, followed with a strike on the vampire's legs. Whereas Zorin tried to hit her opponent with her scythe, Pyrrha kept on dodging and hitting the vampire's vital points of her body. Unable to keep up, the scythe wielder lunged out her right hand, intending to grab Pyrrha and send her into another nightmare. The Spartan girl saw through this, and so she sliced the hand off of Zorin's body clean, seeing the hand burn up until it was ash and bone.

"Damnit," the vampire spat out. "YOU ARE SO FUCKING DEAD, GIRL!"

She never saw through to her threat as Pyrrha swipe Milo horizontally, severing the head from the body. The crowd roared to life after seeing the redhead defeating her opponent for the third time, growing louder as Zorin's body burned into crisp, leaving behind nothing more than her skeleton and ashes. Pyrrha then regained consciousness as the crowd shouted out her name, going over what remained of Zorin's body.

"_This is absolutely crazy_," Zach shouted out from the intercoms. "_Pyrrha has surprised us once again in the tournament. Not only did she defeat the Vampiric Scythe Wielder, but she has also earned her first kill in Terror is Reality. We can't wait to see what kind of mayhem she'll bring in the semifinals._"

"_Oh, I am sure she won't disappoint us in her next match,_" Bobby told his partner. "_Too bad for Zorin though. She was the last remnant of the Nazi's Millennium forces, and with her death marked their eternal demise. As for Pyrrha, we'll see her go up against our other semifinalist: the Cold Wind of France, Mistral herself._"

* * *

**A/N: Pyrrha has defeated Zorin, leaving behind her ashes and gaining the knowledge of fighting illusions of some of Earth's powerful monsters.**

**I won't lie, I should have been more focused on typing chapters for this fan fic, but due to my interest in anime, I delayed this far longer than I have hoped. Then again, I don't have a clear schedule for chapter release dates. Add in the fact that I have seen the Broadcast Dub of Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End) and finished JoJo: Stardust Crusaders, and you have a busy viewer. However, I never planned on abandoning this work, and I'll do anything to keep this going.**

**Next chapter: The Shadows Rise: a match between Chris Hunter vs. Shadow Hunter and Shadow Rose.**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	27. 27: The Shadows Rise

**A/N: Semifinal matches, anyone? I have decided to elaborate on one thing: Both Shadow Rose and Shadow Hunter have been dead since Change of Existence, so why are they in the tournament? Well, I did hint in Ruby's Ailment that Terror is Reality will be unleashing clones for the semifinals, like they did in Hunter's match with Nathan Copeland. Now, due to this being an OC protag vs shadows, I will add details to the fight.**

**Preferred song: Blood Stain Child – Void (Original or dmn-str. remix)**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Terror is Reality tournament, Fortune City**

**15:57 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 21****st****, 4021**

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, after a long cleanup of Zorin Blitz' bones and ashes, we are proud to say that the tournament shall continue with the semifinals_," Zach announced in the intercoms. "_Out of the quarterfinalists that won the matches, only three has moved on to the semifinals. Those fighters are the Blazing Dragon Chris Hunter, the Cold Wind of France Mistral and the Scarlet Demon Pyrrha Nikos. Triceraton Axeman Traximus has opted to forfeit for the rest of the tournament, and we're forced to bring in a pair of clones to replace him._"

"_With that in mind, the semifinal match has come for the dragon himself, for he will be facing them himself,_" Bobby added in to the announcement. "_All I can say that these two have already caused enough chaos to the world._"

Chris Hunter was seen standing on the arena as he heard the announcers, annoyed that he has to face more clones like Clone Nathan. Unlike all the other foes he has faced in the tournament, clones are the types that he kills without batting an eye, disgusted that they look similar to the psychos he hated. Most of the crowd has waited in anticipation in who the opponent is for the Blazing Dragon.

The sound of a sinister laugh echoes in the arena, and Hunter, team RWBY, Summer and Dark-Greymon remember it from a certain dead monstrosity. On cue, Hunter's opponent suddenly appeared from the top, shocking the audience and the fighter entirely. To Hunter, this particular clone was in fact Shadow Hunter, the psychopath that started the events on November 26th. With his blades drawn, he parried the attack the monster unleashed before kicking him away. Right behind him though, a figure similar to Ruby appeared and lunged her scythe right at Chris, forcing him to arch his body back and avoid the strike. He followed the dodge with a roundhouse kick to her stomach, causing the figure to crash into Shadow Hunter. Chris took one good look at his opponents, realizing that he's up against Shadow Rose as well.

"Well, isn't this a bitch," he said as the Shadows got back up. "Not only do I hate facing clones, but the fact that they're Shadows pisses me off more."

"Well, it is good to see you again, Chris Hunter," Shadow Hunter said to his foe. "I never thought I would get another chance to try and kill you again. The whole world works in mysterious ways."

"Tsk, the only thing that's mysterious is how you're my opponent. I've already killed you back at the Grand Canyon, and I can sure as hell kill you again here. Your time of being alive is up."

"As if you can kill us," Shadow Rose shout out while laughing maniacally, freaking out the Beacon teams. "There are two of us Shadows against one of you, putting you at a major disadvantage. If Ruby was here, then this would be an even fight."

"Then it's a shame she's missing out then." Hunter then took out his katanas, pointing one of the blades towards the psychopaths. "All she'll get is the story, and I get to kill two Shadows today."

"Ahahahaha," his shadow laughed, also drawing out his katanas. "The only person receiving death today… IS YOU!"

(**A/N: cue music**)

Right after saying that, both shadows sped towards Hunter with the intent to kill him. The man knew what they planned, and when Shadow Hunter swung his blade, he blocked it before kicking him away. That briefly left him open as Shadow Rose swung Death Rose horizontally, forcing him to jump back to avoid it. She never let up her attacks, as she kept closing the gap between them and spun the Crescent Rose lookalike at him. He was able to block most of the strikes, but those that he missed struck his body, leaving behind minor scratches on his torso. To improvise, he grabbed the monster's scythe by the handle before kicking her away.

He never expected Shadow Hunter to get back to him, as he switched places with Shadow Rose to take the kill. Due to him being similar to Hunter in terms of appearance and combat style, both him and the Blazing Dragon slashed and blocked each other's attack, with the psycho getting a few more cuts on his opponent's body. It only took one more strike from Shadow Hunter for Chris to retaliate by headbutting the Shadow's face, followed by launching a Blazing Fang to push him away.

The crowd went into a cheering fit whenever Hunter strikes back at both Shadows, and the same could be said about the Beacon teams. Out of everyone present, Neo was taken back at how Shadow Hunter's appearance was similar to her boyfriend's; Summer had a determined face, hoping her son would kill Shadow Hunter. As for Nora… she was shouting out to the arena about breaking the Shadows' legs. Due to the encouragement he was receiving from his new friends, Hunter himself is more prepared to move on in the tournament.

Annoyed that herself and her partner only dealt minor damage to their opponent, Shadow Rose instinctively shifted Death Rose into rifle mode and aimed it towards Hunter, shooting the rifle in the process. He was able to cut one bullet down, but its remains impacted the arena walls, creating a mild explosion behind him. The shockwave surprised the Blazing Dragon, causing him to look at the wreckage in confusion. That only proved to be fatal as Shadow Rose took another shot, only the bullet managed to go through his prosthetic arm. The resulting damage was the forearm severed from the main body. Cursing himself, Hunter detached the rest of the prosthetic, revealing a stump near the right shoulder. While Neo and Summer were shocked to see it, Dark-Greymon chucked a spare arm over to Chris, causing his friend to catch it and reattach it to his body.

"_This is going to be a tough match for our champion today, Bobby_," Zack said over the intercom. "_Shadow Rose has managed to completely destroy the Blazing Dragon's prosthetic arm, only for his friend in the stands to throw in a spare._"

While Hunter grabbed his katana from the ruined arm, Shadow Hunter took the moment to strike by appearing behind his opponent and thrusted his weapon at him. The hit never connected when Hunter grabbed the blade before slashing the Shadow's face with what appeared to be a naginata. The crowd cheered over the sight of his third weapon in his hands, but cheered even louder as he spun the long weapon as flames were emitted. Both shadows charged at him to get in a hit again, but all their strikes never hit his body due to the naginata's length and reach. As they got frustrated, Hunter disappeared right in front of them, and a sudden impact collided with Shadow Rose. Everyone present knew this as the arte Moonbeam, as the collision ended with an explosion that knocked Shadow Rose out. Shadow Hunter never saw what came next, as Chris appeared behind him with the Pyro Brawlers equipped and used Rampaging Dragon at him. The flurries of fists and kicks impacting his body made the psychopath cough out black blood, but it was too late as Hunter initiated his mystic arte.

"And now…" he started the enchantment as he jump kicked the monster, followed by more punches and kicks. "The flames in my fists shall guide me towards…" His fist began to glow rapidly after the combo, showing the end of the arte. "…THE HEAVENS! SATSUGEKI… BUKUOKEN!"

His fist impacted Shadow Hunter's body, sending him rapidly into the arena walls. Everyone cheered over the use of the Final Fury mystic arte, but it came to shock as Shadow Rose was behind him with an overhead strike. She never connected, since Hunter shifted his weapon forms back to katanas and parried the monster away. She couldn't get any more hits in again as he kept the gap closed between them, allowing Hunter to land a few Sonic Thrusts and Blazing Tempests on her body. She had no choice but to use Ruby's semblance to get behind him, only for him to do the same and knocked her down to the ground. She tried to get up, but found herself staring at the tip of Hunter's katana.

Unknown to the both of them, Shadow Hunter emerged out of the wall, revealing his face covered in black blood. His red eyes scanned the arena until they found his mark, and in a swift moment, he dashed forward and plunged his katana through Chris' shoulder, drawing out the red blood he craved. Hunter cried out in pain as his Shadow's blade withdrew from him, swinging his own katana at his second opponent. The hit never hit the mark as Shadow Hunter ducked underneath the blade and struck the legs, drawing out more blood to his satisfaction. While that was happening, Shadow Rose made a move to get clear, only to be grabbed by Hunter and chucked at her partner. Both of the Shadows' bodied collided as they hit the ground, giving Hunter some time to use a healing arte to get rid of the major damaged he received.

Shadow Hunter looked over his surroundings again, seeing that Shadow Rose was on top of him. Desperate to kill his opponent, he forcefully pushed her out of the way to rise up, only to be hit by Hunter's Moonlight Assault arte. Because of the amount of power in the move, it left the psychopath in the confused state. He tried to regain his bearings, but then he saw Hunter trying to get back up on the ground, wincing in pain. He then charged at his foe to kill him, but unknown to him, the crowd saw him dashing towards Shadow Rose instead. When she saw his bloodthirsty eyes, she immediately became afraid.

"Wha… What are you doing," she asked her partner. "Why are you coming towards me?"

His only answer was a diagonal strike with his katana, forcing her to dodge each of her partner's attacks. She couldn't believe that Shadow Hunter would go from killing Chris to trying to remove her. As she was dodging his attacks, Hunter went to activate his Bestial Chromatus, only this time he went for ¾ of the power. He then dashed towards his Shadow, hitting him with an Azure Edge and pushed him away from Shadow Rose. The monster looked towards his opponent, only to see two Chris Hunters right in front of him. Confused, he unleashed two Shadow Fang shockwaves at the two of them, only for Chromatus Hunter to move and parry them back at him.

"Hey Shadow Hunter, are you confused," the Chromatus bearer asked the Shadow. "Then let me help you… by sending you straight into hell."

He chucked a pillar of light towards Shadow Hunter in the effort to finish the fight entirely, causing the crowd to cheer out heavily. The pillar went clean through the monster's body, but when it looked back, more light pillars were hurled towards him. Each of them pierced his body, leaving him in a bloody mess. It was all over for him, as Chris Hunter lunged his claw into his body, pumping excess mana as damage into the Shadow. Finishing the move, he removed the claw before going through him completely, sending the now lifeless body in the air. Shadow Hunter's body then collided with the ground as the Chromatus dispersed, and Hunter could hear the endless roars from the crowd as he lifted his fist in the air.

"_This is INCREDIBLE,_" Zach shouted out. "_Chris Hunter, the Blazing Dragon, has defeated and killed Shadow Hunter, eliminating half of the competition in this semi-final round. All he has to do now is finish off Shadow Rose, and we'll see him in the finals for sure._"

"_It was a pretty good call too,_" Bobby added in his two cents. "_By eliminating Shadow Hunter, the more experienced of the clones, he was given the victory already. However, he did struggle during the match when his prosthetic arm was destroyed. To whoever that chucked that spare, we at Terror is Reality would like to thank you for your efforts._"

Hunter lowered his fist when he saw Shadow Rose just standing there dumbfounded. He thought that she would have already made a move when the Chromatus was gone, only to see her afraid of him. He began to approach her with katana in hand, seeing her beginning to back away slowly. She never got that far, since her back embedded itself to the arena walls. Fear overtaking her, she closed her eyes and waited for her death. It never came, as Hunter embedded his katana at the wall, inches away from her face. When she opened her eyes, she saw the solemn look that he was giving off.

"Listen up, Shadow Rose," he started, catching her off guard. "I don't make a habit of sparing clones, but you're the only exception. You have shown fear when Shadow Hunter tried to kill you. Fear is a human emotion that Shadows like you lack, and you have shown that. Because of that, I decided to let you live."

"B-B-But, why," she questioned her foe. "Why keep me alive after all I have done? I had the power to destroy this city."

"That was the original Shadow Rose," he assured her, removing his blade from the wall. "You are no longer a clone in my eyes, but someone new entirely. Use this life to atone for what the original has done. Do NOT let me down, you hear me."

All she could do was nod her head to agree to his terms, and before the crowd knows it, she made her announcement that she forfeits. Summer and Neo were actually shocked over what Hunter did, but they knew he has that ability to steer people in the right path. Both fighters picked up their belongings from the arena, from Hunter's shattered prosthetic arm to Shadow Rose' scythe, and left the arena behind.

"_This has to be history in the making,_" Zach was heard from the intercoms. "_Despite popular demand, the Blazing Dragon has spared Shadow Rose and took his victory with him. I don't know about you, but Chris Hunter will be moving on in the finals, while Shadow Rose will report to Ultor for atonement of the November 29__th__ devastation._"

"_Don't forget, this Shadow Rose is an Ultor created clone, used only for the tournaments,_" Bobby told his partner. "_If she was spared, then that means that we have no choice but to abide to the Sky Marshal's decision. No matter what happens, whatever occurred in Fortune City, stays in Fortune City._"

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Hallways, Fortune City Arena**

**Minutes after the semi-final match**

**16:21 UNSC Standard Time**

I wasn't sure if letting Shadow Rose live was the best decision, but after seeing her cower in front of Shadow Hunter made me realise her possible future. Sure she would have to pay for the original's damage with the Mark Nicht, but I have a feeling that it would go well. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to face Mistral yet, but I have already informed TK via text that I wish to face her.

"That was surprising," I heard a voice behind me, making me look at Pyrrha. "Honestly, everyone thought that you were going to kill two Shadows today. What changed?"

"I could say the same for you, Scarlet Demon," I said, calling her the nickname Ultor gave her. "Your quarterfinal match against Zorin wasn't a human vs clone fight. You pretty much ended Millennium by beheading the vampire."

"What do you want me to say? 'Hey, you went and intruded into my memories and nightmares, so you have to lose' would have been taken already, right?"

I can only nod in agreement to her statement, remembering a friend who went through that situation. "You're right on that part. By the way, you're facing Mistral in the semi-final match, right?" I gained a nod from her. "All I can say is 'be careful.' She lives by killing, and when sees a worthy opponent, she'll butcher them. And don't forget: she is a Cyborg."

"Does that make any difference," she asked me.

"If you plan on dying and igniting a war between Earth and Remnant, then yes. Do what you can and survive this match. Don't let Ragna and Scales' encouragements go to waste."

She took my advice as she left me to prepare for her match, and I took the time to throw my broken prosthetic in the garbage. I then heard my ringtone, signalling me to check it. There was a text from TK about the situation on Mistral, making me read through the contents.

_Hunter,_

_Your situation on Remnant has moved me, and I know why you wish to face Mistral. To your luck, I have decided to let you partake in the next semi-final match as the Scarlet Demon's partner. People needs more carnage from the Blazing Dragon, so who am I to deny their enjoyment._

_Make sure to cripple the fuck out of Desperado._

_Yours truly,_

_Tyrone 'TK' King_

"Alright then," I said as a smile began to form on my face. "I think it's time for the Cold Wind of France to feel the heat."

* * *

**A/N: Well, that was a thing. Shadow Rose's clone now lives and Mistral's fight is next.**

**Initially, I wanted to post this chapter after the Pyrrha vs. Zorin Blitz chapter, but thanks to the Writer's Block, it took forever to word this right. In hindsight, I took a few weeks break and began Remnant to Earth, a more realistic take on how RWBY ended up on our blue planet. That break was what I needed to finally word this right, and now I am happy with the end result. Originally, I wanted both Shadow Hunter and Shadow Rose dead by the end of this chapter, but I decided not to.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	28. 28: Mistral

**A/N: I am not sure what I can say, but Shit is about to go down here. Mistral, one of the Desperado Cyborgs, has finally shown herself.**

**There is only one thing I can say: I am never that good in terms of scheduling. That is all.**

**Preferred song: MGR:R OST – A Stranger I Remain (Mistral's theme)**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Terror is Reality Tournament, Fortune City**

**16:42 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 21****st****, 4021**

"_Here we are folks: the match to determine who will face the Blazing Dragon in the finals,_" Zach announced over the intercoms. "_However, we feel that he has not done enough damage for you, so we'll see him cause major havoc soon. As of now, we have an interesting matchup for the semi-final match._"

"_That's right folks,"_ Bobby added in. "_The rising newcomer of Terror is Reality has proven everyone wrong that she is tournament ready, defeating the Sharpclaw General, Grim reaper and the Illusionist Vampire in her matches. Now, the Scarlet Demon, Pyrrha Nikos, has a tough opponent ready to face her._"

Pyrrha stared at the other side of the arena, eager to see who her opponent looks like. She felt a little nervous after hearing Hunter's explanation on Mistral, but all thoughts were cast aside as the doors suddenly opened. Revealing herself to the Remnant native, Mistral herself arrives in her combat armor, aided with small robot bowling balls. The robots, Dwarf Geckos, showed themselves as tripods, with three arms coming from the centre. Ten extra pairs of arms were adorned on her, giving her more of advantage in the upcoming battle.

"_Here she is, folks,_" Zach poke up again. "_Showing herself to the TiR populace is the Cold Wind of France herself, Mistral. She is a powerful force to be reckoned with, being the cold blooded murderer of the Cyber war. A master of the polearm, L'Etranger, She can switch between staff and whip at any time._"

"_Don't forget, Pyrrha has the Polarity semblance from Remnant, meaning that Mistral's advantage would become a liability in the end,_" Bobby added in. "_However, that won't be the end of the Cold Wind's problems. TK, the CEO of Ultor, has sent word that this will be a two on one match, with the Scarlet Demon teaming with the Blazing Dragon._"

"Wait, what," Pyrrha asked, only to see Hunter walking up to her. "Exactly what is the meaning of this?"

"Her death," her new partner stated. "I always wanted to kill Mistral, and the best way to do it is with a crowd seeing the action."

"Then why not wait until the finals?"

"I don't want to risk having you die," Hunter told her. "Not only will it break your team's hearts, but your death would also mean an all-out war with Earth. It's best to face her now while you're still alive."

"Then all you're doing is bringing your death to my door, Blazing Dragon," Mistral spoke up. "You will finally die by our hands, and the Hunter Bloodline will end. I hope you are ok with this."

Mistral snapped her fingers after saying that to Hunter, causing six of the machines to latch on to the Cyborg. They then began to detach their arms, lending them to her as she creates L'Etranger out of the pieces. The bots were replaced with new ones as the polearm finished its development, with the added knife from Mistral's arsenal. Satisfied with the result, her eyes glowed neon red as she spun her weapon a few times, ending it with a stab in the ground.

"And, as an added bonus," she spoke up. "Her death will ignite a war between worlds, and our PMC will gain a massive profit."

(**A/N: cue music**)

She then whipped the staff towards her opponents, creating a shockwave that separated Pyrrha from Hunter. That allowed her to move to the Blazing Dragon, determined to kill him and ending the Hunter Bloodline. When she got close, she swung L'Etranger in a horizontal strike to hit his side, only to be blocked by his Blazing Masamune. Hunter then followed the block with a diagonal strike with his other katana, only to hit nothing but air as the Cyborg back stepped away from the blade. She left herself open for a brief moment when Pyrrha appeared behind her and struck her back. This only served to anger her, as Mistral used L'Etranger's whip function to grab the redhead and throw her towards Hunter.

The crowd cried out in awe over the carnage as Pyrrha's body collided with her partner's, but it changed to cheer as they both got back up and separated to hit Mistral's blind spots. The Cyborg knew what Hunter was up to, but never registered Pyrrha's attack pattern when she was hit on her left side. Looking briefly, she saw the Spartan girl piercing Milo in her side, forcing her to kick the younger girl away. That didn't phase her any, as Pyrrha regained her footing and started slicing at the Cyborg's defences.

While Pyrrha was handling Mistral, Hunter was fending off the robot reinforcements. Dwarf Geckos are the type of machine that he hates dealing with when confronting the female warmonger. Add in the fact that they are replacements for Mistral's L'Etranger, and he'll have a harder time. Since he is letting Pyrrha deal with the Cyborg, he only had to take on the machines. Each one kept jumping at him, only to meet their end with a perfectly time slice from the Sky Marshal. Whatever survived the attacks launched themselves towards him on a suicide rush, only for him to cut them down and stopped them from detonating. All in all, many Dwarf Geckos met their end to the Blazing Dragon, neither of them reaching their master in time.

Pyrrha continued her assault on Mistral as they exchanged blows with each other, with both sides sporting signs of damage. Mistral kept up with her defence when the redhead continued to swing Milo around in the hopes of hurting the Cyborg. All efforts were in vain, when the older woman parried one of Pyrrha's strikes and used her weapon to grab and chuck the javelin away. With her weapon away, Pyrrha switched to the defensive as the Cyborg went on the offensive by spinning her polearm at her. Most of the strikes were easily blocked by Akouo, but whatever strikes struck left deep cuts on Pyrrha's body, damaging some of her attire. At a last ditch effort to get her off, the redhead used her semblance on the other end of L'Etranger, making the staff to wrap itself around Mistral. With her out of the way for a brief moment, Pyrrha moved to where Milo laid, grabbing the javelin and shifting it over to rifle mode. She then took aim at the occupied Mistral and fired her ammunition, with each hit impacting the body.

When he finished off the current wave of bots, Hunter was quick to make his way over to his opponent's position, already changing his weapons over to the Pyro Brawlers. Getting closer, he landed a few punches and kicks on Mistral's body, throwing in a few Demon fist artes in the combo. However, due to her connection with the polearm, she made L'Etranger unwrap itself, freeing herself from the prison. She then whipped the weapon at Hunter, striking his stomach in a few fatal blows. He grabbed the knife end of the weapon when it tried to strike again, preventing Mistral from continuing her barrage, he then allowed Pyrrha to jump in and cut the staff in half, destroying L'Etranger in the process.

"_Umbelievable,_" Zach shouted out as the crowd cheered over the carnage. "_Shadow Hunter and Shadow Rose should have taken notes for this, cause that's how you show true teamwork._"

"_That's right, Zach,_" Bobby spoke up. "_Hunter was able to grab on to Mistral's weapon, signalling to Pyrrha about where to destroy the staff. Unarmed, the Cold Wind of France must think of a different strategy to counter their attacks._"

Annoyed that her weapon was destroyed, Mistral wasted no time to dash and jump over the arena walls, and another wave of Dwarf Geckos appeared in her stead. Both Hunter and Pyrrha pushed their back against each other to fend off the machines, waiting on them to make a move. One by one, the small bots rushed them to serve their master's wish, only for the tag team to cut them down. Mistral, not willing to back down, grabbed the machines that made up a replacement L'Etranger and chucked the active spheres towards them. Each of them exploded as they hit the ground, neither of them hitting the intended target. With a new polearm assembled, the Desperado Cyborg jumped back down to the arena, eventually locking weapons with Hunter.

"COME ON," Yang shouted out from the stands. "SHOW THAT BITCH WHO SHE'S DEALING WITH!"

Hearing her, Hunter switched out of his greave and gauntlet combo to wield the Pyronata, matching Mistral in terms of combat prowess. They began clashing their blades against each other, blocking each other one when either Mistral or Hunter almost landed a strike. Pyrrha, while not fighting Mistral, had her hands full with destroying the small Dwarf Geckos, switching weapon modes to destroy the endless waves of machines that appeared before her. Since both staff and naginata wielders were at a complete stalemate, Mistral reactivated the whip feature and lashed at Hunter, who switched his weapons back to katanas and avoided the attack.

Being fed up with the constant waves of machines, Pyrrha used her semblance to chuck the tripods at Mistral, who didn't see the attack coming. Each of them collided with Mistral's body, exploding in contact and damaging her in the process. She was immediately distracted over Pyrrha's assault that she moved her eyes away from Hunter, who took the initiative to close the gap and struck her midsection. The sudden pain caused the Cyborg to scream out in pain, lashing L'Etranger around and sending Hunter away from her.

"You… b_atard putain_," she cursed in French. "I have had enough of your shit. Now… DIE!"

She then whipped L'Etranger down on the ground, causing it to create powerful shockwaves on the ground. Both of her opponents were unable to avoid the power of the shockwaves as they lost their footing on the ground. Mistral never let up her attacks, and when she saw Hunter suspended in the air, she lashed her weapon on the Sky Marshal, allowing each strike to land on him and leave deep cuts on his body. Not finished with him, she then wrapped L'Etranger around him before slamming it on the ground. Hunter coughed out some blood when his body collided the ground, leaving blood stains on the ground.

Mistral was ecstatic when she saw the collision, only to feel pain as Pyrrha closed the gap and stabbed Milo through the older woman. She never saw the Spartan girl get close when harming Hunter, so seeing the redhead pulling her weapon out with blood on it got on her nerves. Furious, she started to slam her weapon at Pyrrha, only for the girl to dodge each strike and fired her ammunition at the Cyborg. Each of the Dust bullets fired from Milo accurately collided with the woman's body, and while Mistral was focused on the Scarlet Demon, that she didn't register the recovering Blazing Dragon. With her confused, Hunter sped forward to his opponent and lunged his blade through Mistral's stomach, causing her to cough up more blood.

"_Uh oh, it looks like the Cold Wind of France is actually having some trouble there against the team of Chris Hunter and Pyrrha Nikos,_" Zach announced in the intercoms. "_Mistral couldn't handle both forces of nature, despite being a powerful Cyborg of Desperado._"

"_That just shows how much teamwork can impact a battle,_" Bobby added in. "_Don't forget, both Mistral and Hunter are out for each other's blood. If this match were to come to a close, then one of them must either lose or die right now. If Mistral loses this match, then we can automatically begin the final round of the Terror is Reality tournament._"

Hearing Bobby say that sparked a fire inside Mistral, who wished to end the tournament immediately with Hunter and Pyrrha's deaths. With that in mind, she spun L'Etranger around to intimidate her two targets, powering up the spear with some of her spare mana. Due to the Cyborg enhancements, Mistral couldn't generate the same amount that many other humans on Earth could, but it was enough when she slammed her weapon on the ground, creating more shockwaves in the process. The resulting aftermath was a knocked down Pyrrha, though Hunter was still standing near the Cyborg. Knowing that the finale was close, he stepped on a glowing panel on the arena, causing several nitrogen tanks to rise up from the ground. He then backed away after pulling his katana out of her, jumping over her strike twice until L'Etranger stabbed one of the new obstacles. He then landed on her spear before striking the nitrogen tank, releasing the contents on the Cyborg.

Both Pyrrha and the crowd stared in awe as Mistral started to freeze on the spot, but the former took in the plan that Hunter has enacted. With the Cyborg frozen in place, she joined her partner as they jumped over Mistral's body before striking her body with their respective weapons. Due to Mistral being frozen, Milo and the Blazing Masamunes cut the body clean through in faster than light speed. Finishing the shattered Mistral, Hunter and Pyrrha slammed their weapons down through the body until they collided with the ground, leaving the pieces to fall as the nitrogen tank exploded. They both sheathed their weapons after feeling the shockwave created from the tanks, and the crowd began to cheer out to the open.

"_Amazing,_" Zach shouted out. "_By a stroke of luck, Mistral have been defeated and killed by the tag team of Pyrrha Nikos and Sky Marshal Chris Hunter. In all of my years as an announcer, I have never seen anything like that carnage witnessed today._"

"_I think I am going to tear up right now,_" Bobby announced as the medics appeared in the arena. "_With Mistral's death, Desperado has been crippled in terms of raw cyborg power. However, they still have the other Winds of Destruction in their ranks. Hopefully, this should be the beginning of the PMC's end._"

"Well, that was somewhat exciting," Hunter said as he stretched, only to feel a blade by his neck. "Oh, come on. Really, right now?"

"This should have been my match alone," Pyrrha told her new rival. "You had the nerve to interrupt my battle. Why is it that you had to kill Mistral?"

The air went silent when Pyrrha said that, and both the crowd and the medics took in the sight of her gaze piercing Hunter. The arena began to shift back to its default form as what's left of the nitrogen tank lowered to the ground, never to be seen again. Some of the medics collected the pieces of Mistral's body as the others began their healing procedure on the two finalists. The crowd were now splitting up on who would win the TiR tournament, with most of them rooting for the Blazing Dragon, while Jaune and his team began rooting for Pyrrha.

"There was no other choice in the matter," the Sky Marshal told her. "If you faced her alone, you would have surely died. It was better for me to intervene and turn the tables."

"Well, since you are here, why don't we cut out the wait and start our match," the redhead asked him. "I'm sure the tournament committee wouldn't object."

"_This is it folks,_" Bobby spoke up from the intercom. "_Instead of waiting for the medics to finish up and prepare the arena, Pyrrha has announced that the final round should initiate right now. To those you of you tuning in right now, this will become the most intense final round of your lives._"

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**TiR Infirmary, Fortune City**

**Immediately after Mistral Fight**

**December 21****st****, 4021**

"_That's right, Bobby. After Mistral's defeat and death, the Scarlet Demon wishes to move right into the final round. However, due to the carnage, they are going to have to wait a few minutes until the arena is fully prepped. Until then, we will be back in a few minutes, so enjoy the latest in Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax._"

I slowly opened my eyes after who knows how long, but I did hear that the finals haven't started yet. The last thing I remember was that Chris was moving on to the semi-finals after the fight with his ex-girlfriend, only to feel a strange pain that took over my whole body. The next thing I know, I was waking up in what appears to be an infirmary, seeing Chris' friends Scales and Ragna glued to the TV.

"Well, I think it's time we take a break from this," Ragna said as he turned the TV off, getting a glimpse of me being awake. "Shit, Ruby, are you awake?"

"What are you talking about? Ruby is," Scales added, only to see me too. "GAH, RUBY IS AWAKE."

"Hey, can you keep it down," I spoke up, realizing that my voice is a little deeper. "What the heck happened?"

"Well, after you were laughing your ass off with Hunter, you started to scream out in pain all of a sudden. It took him, myself and Raggy-boy to bring you to the infirmary. Even then, you were screaming your lungs out, and it took a few sedatives to calm you down. Though, looking at you right now, I guess you can say that you sped through two years of your life in a few hours."

I was actually shocked over hearing what he said, but I saw that it was true when Ragna handed me a mirror. Looking through it, I can see that my hair, which is usually short, has grown passed my shoulders. My face has lost a little more baby fat, becoming more defined. But the biggest change that I saw was that my body was seven inches taller, making me about 5'9" in height now. I was freaking out over the changes, until I realized that what mom told me almost a week ago.

"Hey, can you tell me what I missed," I asked the two of them.

"Yeah, you just missed three matches with deaths," Ragna stated. "There was the first match you missed, with Pyrrha Nikos and Zorin Blitz, where the former moved to the Semi-finals after she beheaded the vampire. Then there was the match of your brother against both Shadow Hunter and Shadow Rose. Finally, there was—"

"Wait, Chris fought against Shadow Hunter and Shadow Rose," I interrupted him. "I thought the both of them were dead."

"Clones, Ruby," he answered me before continuing. "As I was saying, you just missed the last Semi-final round, where Pyrrha went up against Mistral, with Hunter surprising us when he joined in the fight and killed her. Right now, they're getting ready for the final round when you woke."

"Oh, I see. At least they made it through the most of the tournament," I said to myself. "Hey, when the final round is done, can you bring both my mom and my brother over?"

They both nodded to me when I asked them, knowing that I want to surprise my family now. As far as they know, I'm still under the sedatives, so I have a feeling their going to be happy when they see me now. For now, I just need some more rest while I watch my brother's match against Pyrrha.

"Wait a minute," I started. "Why are they calling Pyrrha the Scarlet Demon?"

* * *

**A/N: The finals are around the corner, and Ruby is now awake.**

**I really, REALLY need to start up a schedule here, but with more gains at home, I have been distracted more and more. First of all, I have gained my copy of Tales of Zestiria with the pre-order bonuses, then I went to Montreal to celebrate my mom's birthday last weekend, and recently gained the second half of Aldnoah Zero season one on Blu-Ray. Despite that, I still haven't forgotten my plans for the fan fics, so I will update from time to time. It's just that I don't have a proper schedule, and if I did, I wouldn't keep up with it. Regardless, I'll keep updating both RWBY: Remnant Crisis and Remnant to Earth.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a Review.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	29. 29: Final round

**A/N: I think it's time to end the tournament with a bang, and Hunter and Pyrrha are going to duke it out.**

**I won't lie; it was really hard to choose a song that would fit the fight to the T. However, after some gaming on the original Spyro games and a really long RP session with fellow writer Caden Goff, I finally settled on a song that would fit it perfectly. It really took a long time to figure it out, since I had about 91 hours' worth of music. Despite that, I chose the one song that would fit the battle between the Blazing Dragon and the Scarlet Demon.**

**Preferred song: Blood Stain Child – Stargazer (Epsilon or Last Stardust ver.)**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Terror is Reality Tournament, Fortune City**

**17:24 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 21****st****, 4021**

The fight between the team of Chris Hunter and Pyrrha Nikos against Mistral has left the crowd cheering out for more, and the cleanup crew recently finished moving what's left of the Cyborg out of the arena. Out of everyone present in the stands, JNPR was seen shouting out to Pyrrha to win Terror is Reality. Their shouts were unheard as the vast majority of the attendees were now rooting for Hunter. Despite that, Jaune and his team continued their shouting, hoping that Pyrrha would hear them out of the sea of cheers.

"_We have finally made it, ladies and gentlemen,_" Zach started to announce. "_Yesterday, we were filled to the brink with powerful warriors from across the cosmos. Now, round after round, they were dwindling in numbers until only two remained._"

"_That's right, Zach, and the two that made it to today's finals are the crowd favorites,_" Bobby added in. "_They are none other than the Blazing Dragon, Sky Marshal Chris Hunter, the champion of the previous Terror is Reality tournaments. Finally, we have the rising star that captured the hearts of many; she is the Scarlet Demon herself, Pyrrha Nikos._"

"_You know, this all started when she was nervous being here for the first time. If it wasn't for the attitude of the Sharpclaw General, she might not have made it through the first round._"

"_Then again, she began to surprise us more and more after Scales' defeat. She managed to bring down the NOL fugitive Ragna the Bloodedge, earned her first tournament kill with Zorin Blitz and helped the Blazing Dragon burn over the Cold Wind of France. Now, she stands against him now as the final round fully begins._"

Both fighters have been in a deadlock stare for who knows how long, each trying to read each other's strategies. Pyrrha looked over the many possibilities to take out Chris Hunter, with the most prominent plans of using her semblance to keep his weapons off of her. She has dealt with dual swordsmen back on Remnant, but none of them had the same skill as Chris Hunter. She also knows that he can change his weapon's form at any time, from the greave and gauntlet combo to the naginata. Then, there were the secrets behind the prosthetic arm, knowing that if she ever disarmed him of his weapon, the arm itself would become the backup. As she kept looking at him, she settled with using her semblance to throw him off.

While Pyrrha thought her plan through, Hunter was still undecided. He has seen how much of a fighter she was, using Milo between blade and rifle modes. Even if he were to get close enough, she would throw Akouo to send him away and put him into firing range. Even if he were to stay close to her, she would use her semblance to throw him off as he makes his strikes. His only chance to win the tournament and defeat Pyrrha is to constantly change weapon forms as he fights.

"_Everything is now set, the fighters are fully healed, and they appear to be thirsting for blood,_" Zach told the crowd through the intercoms. "_Two gods of the arena, one from Earth and the other from Remnant, will duke it out here at Terror is Reality._"

"_That's right folks, so grab your snacks, popcorn and soda,_" Bobby added in. "_The fight to determine the champion has begun before it even began. In the words of TK, 'You gotta be willing to risk it all, if you're ever really gonna…_"

"WIN BIG!"

(**A/N: cue music**)

As the Crowd shouted the finishing statement, both Pyrrha and Hunter dashed towards each other with a sense of purpose, each aiming their blades at each other. As they closed the gap, it was Pyrrha who made the first strike, only to miss as Hunter dodged and struck her center dead center. Due to the aura she had, the redhead shrugged it off by slamming Akouo onto his back. This caused a reaction from the crowd, only to see him return the favor by sending her back with a Blazing Fang arte. Pyrrha knew he would use his artes to fight, so she made it a point to avoid most of them by dashing back at him. Hunter, seeing her rushing back, moved one of his Blazing Masamunes into a reverse grip, but never had the chance to strike as she stabbed him through the stomach.

"YEAH, SHOW THAT DRAGON WHO'S BOSS, PYRRHA," Nora shouted out from her seat, gaining a few angry glares from those around her.

Pyrrha smiled as she heard Nora from the crowd, but her expression changed when Hunter pushed her away. He then took Milo out of him before chucking it at the Spartan girl, seeing it slam into her when she moved Akouo to block the hit. Without thinking, his weapons changed into his Pyronata, dashing over to her and slamming hit weapon into her side. She coughed out some spit over the attack, but used the chance to knee him in the gut. Both of them now backed off after the impacts, but Pyrrha took the time to convert Milo into rifle mode and fired on him. Each of her bullets were easily cut down by her opponent however, and the last round she shot was deflected back at her. The resulting damage sent her back a few feet more, and Hunter returned his weapons back into katana mode.

When he started to approach Pyrrha, his weapons all of a sudden flew out of his hands, striking back at him and forcing him away. Everyone knew that it was the redhead herself doing it, as she has her wrist out and flicking it around. His katanas continuously swarmed around him as he tried to keep away from Pyrrha's assault, but it proved useless when she has his own blades against him. His only choice was to grab his own swords and disperse them, leaving Pyrrha with only hers to use.

She was instantly confused as to why he did that, only to lose her composure when he charged at her with only his fists. She instantly regained her composure, but it proved futile when he started landing punches on her body with precise speed, adding a few kicks on her legs for good measure. While feeling the pressure of the hits, she swung Milo in a horizontal strike, managing to strike his left arm and leaving a big enough scar on him. It didn't phase him enough when he continued his assault on her.

"_Look at this, folks,_" Zach started. "_The Blazing Dragon is resorting to fighting without the Elemental Spirit of Fire. It's a bold move on his part, but it won't be enough to stop Pyrrha Nikos_."

Pyrrha kept her guard up as he kept hitting her, using Akouo to block off his fists while Milo defended from the kicks. She never thought that without his weapons, Hunter was still a force to be reckoned with. She then remembered the footage shown to her of the November 26th incident with Shadow Belladonna, as well as witnessing his power during his initiation. If she ever met a jack of all trades in the past, then Hunter himself would be considered a master of all trades. She now knows why Scales told her not to win the tournament: Chris Hunter would end up winning with his skill.

When she was deep in thought, she didn't realize that her guard was easily broken by Hunter's prosthetic arm, which grabbed the shield and threw it away. That action brought her back to reality as she used her semblance to bring Akouo back to her. It never came back to her, as Hunter activated a plasma blade built into his prosthetic and cutting it down. She couldn't believe what she had seen: Akouo, a shield she forged at Sanctum Academy back on Remnant, was destroyed by a plasma blade developed on Earth. Stricken by rage, she immediately forgot about her plan and rushed towards him with the hopes of defeating him.

"Hey, you can't be serious," Nora commented from the sides. "How is Pyrrha going to fight now?"

"She will have to rely on only her javelin," Gaius answered her. "A shield can do so much, but in the presence of a plasma blade, a shield is only a liability."

Nora could only look back at the carnage occurring in the arena, surprised to see Pyrrha adopt a more savage combat approach. Precise strikes were replaced with uncoordinated attacks as she swung Milo around aimlessly at Hunter, actually making progress in pushing him back from one end of the arena to the other. Hunter was able to block each of the attacks, but as he was pushed back, his desire to win grew stronger. In a desperate move, he recalled his katanas back to fight back, using one to parry her strikes as he used the other to make his own.

* * *

**Ruby Rose POV**

**TiR Infirmary, Fortune City**

**During the Chris Hunter-Pyrrha Nikos Fight**

"Oh come on, I can't believe she's acting like a complete savage. I thought she was better than that, Ragna."

Ragna and Scales have been hanging out with me ever since I first when into pain, and I can somewhat understand why my brother would hang out with them. They kept getting into arguments saying that either Chris or Pyrrha would win the finals. Honestly, I really don't care as to who will win the finals. As long as I get the clear to get out of this hospital bed, the better I'll be to be with my friends. Of course, it will take too long to explain how I went from 15 to 17 in a matter of hours.

"Scales, you know that this is what Hunter planned, right," Ragna questioned the dino. "He has a reputation as a TiR Champion to uphold, and he will keep it going."

"But Pyrrha has gotten so far with that javelin and shield of hers," Scales retorted. "I mean, why would he just go and cut the shield in half clean with a plasma blade?"

"To keep her from using the polarity in it. Scales, we both know how powerful Hunter truly is. His skills with the dual katanas, greave and gauntlet combo and the naginata, his mastery over the mystic artes accompanied AND the powers of the Bestial Chromatus all makes him a force to be reckoned with. To even stand against him would guarantee an easy loss."

I pretty much tuned out their conversation as it went on to their opinions on who would win the match. Looking at the TV, I saw that Pyrrha went from a skilled fighter to a savage striker during the final round of the tournament. I already knew that, despite both of them being powerful in their own terms, my brother would be the one to win Terror is Reality. Both Ragna and Scales kept up their argument until realizing that I wasn't paying attention, and thought it was a good idea to get me involved in their antics.

"Ruby, true or false," Ragna spoke up first. "Chris Hunter would be the one to win the tournament."

"No way," the dino shouted out. "Pyrrha is going to win Terror is Reality. Hunter's time here is long gone."

"Says the one who told her not to win."

"SOD OFF, REAPER."

"DINO BREATH!"

"FUGITIVE!"

"ENOUGH," I shouted out, surprising the both of them. "Ragna, it's going to be a tough fight, that part's true. But I have faith that Chris will win the fight."

"HA," the silver haired man shouted at Scales. "I told you so."

I turned my attention back to the TV, seeing that the fight has progressed further during the argument. Turns out that both Chris and Pyrrha are on opposite ends of the arena, both holding on to their weapons and breathing heavily. Deciding that it was enough, I slowly got out of bed, shocking the other two as I stood up fine. I quickly grabbed a bag of clothes laid out for me, changing into before running out.

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Terror is Reality Tournament, Fortune City**

"_This is absolutely brutal,_" Zack announced. "_Both fighters have completely worn themselves out, but neither of them are back out. Ladies and Gentlemen, after all these years of announcing, I have to say that this moment is similar to the skirmishes between the Blazing Dragon and the Covenant Lord._"

"_And this is just the tip of the iceberg,_" Bobby added in. "_Both Pyrrha Nikos and Chris Hunter are today's crowd favorites, but only one of these titans will walk away with that tournament win, while the other goes off back home. Will it be the Scarlet Demon's first win, or with the Blazing Dragon earn another victory?_"

The whole arena was silent as the match between the two fighters draws to a close. Hunter, breathing heavily and covered in cuts and scratches, held on to his blazing masamunes as he eyed down Pyrrha, who was in the same situation with Milo. Both of their weapons showed signs of damage between the fighters, as nicks and scratches were etched on to them. The most notable of the carnage was the blood dripping out from both of their heads, showing the world that even the strongest will bleed. Both fighters breathed heavily as they struggled to get back up, knowing that only one of them will win Terror is Reality.

"Well," Pyrrha started out while heavily breathing. "We managed to get this far in the fight, and neither of us is willing to back down or withdraw. No wonder why you enjoy these events."

"Damn right," Hunter replied back, coughing out blood afterwards. "The blood loss, the competition, and the best out of all of it, the carnage. Too bad your aura didn't last that long, otherwise you would have a clean win on your belt."

"Then do me a favor, and lose for me," She said to him as she got into a low combat stance. Hunter, seeing what Pyrrha was about to do, dispersed one of his katanas while gripping the other, crouching down to meet her level. The crowd immediately went silent as the two fighters stood on their respective ends of the arena, gasping as they began to circle around the center.

"_Bobby, is this what I think it is,_" Zach asked his partner.

"_The setting of the traditional duel between Samurai, Zach_," Bobby replied back. "_Both fighters have exhausted each other through the entire match, and the only way to end it now is a swift strike from either one. Pyrrha or Hunter will win the tournament when one of them collapses to the ground completely._"

Everyone was silent over the hidden exchange between the two warriors as they continued to circle the arena. Jaune, crossing his fingers, closed his eyes while repeating the words, 'Pyrrha will win,' while everyone around him was silent. Unaware of it, they never saw Ruby return to the stands as they kept their eyes front. The young girl saw the silent exchange, remembering the words that Omega told her during her Spartan Training.

_Remember, young one. During the tides of time, human customs have differed over the years. Despite that, only one tradition has stood through the many millennia humans have lived: The duel system. This system will force humans, who have survived the standard laws of battle against their foe, to take up with one weapon. Whether the person is a dual wielder or a sword and shield user, they must resort to using only one weapon. In other words, the dual wielder must discard one of his similar weapons, while the latter must discard the shield. Only with one fatal strike can the match come to an end. Remember this well, Ruby Rose, for you will go through such a system when the time has come._

Ruby immediately understood what the machine told her a month ago, now seeing it with her eyes in the form of Hunter and Pyrrha's battle. As they kept circling, Pyrrha relaxed her shoulders while holding on to Milo with a tight grasp. Hunter, seeing her doing that, followed up with his own shoulders, spinning his Blazing Masamune a few times for a quick intimidation. Eventually, they both stopped their movements, eyeing each other down as their weapons were positioned to their preferences. As if someone blew the whistle, both fighters dashed towards each other, hitting one another with the weapons they possess.

"_Oh god, I can't look,_" Zach announced.

"_Who will stand, and who will fall,_" Bobby added in. As he said that, Hunter tumbled down a bit after Pyrrha's strike managed to cut his left eye scar. However, it was Pyrrha who fell to the ground face first, signalling it as her loss to the match. Everyone was shocked over the revelation, but it was quickly replaced with cheer as Hunter raised his fist to the air, while JNPR were stunned over the scene they had witnessed. On cue, Ultor's medical teams emerged out of the gates to patch up both fighters, and Ruby let out a shout of happiness.

"_That was amazing,_" Zach started. "_In a not so surprising turn of events, the Blazing Dragon has once again won the Terror is Reality tournament, and the Scarlet Demon has achieved second place._"

"_Zach, in all of my years announcing Terror is Reality and Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax, I have never seen an ending to a match like that. Truly, the duel system as made its first, rare appearance and Chris Hunter succeeded in winning the match. His brutal matches against Gaius and Nagisa Takahashi clearly showed us that he has gotten better with age._"

"_That's right, you heard it here, folks. And this marks the end of Terror is Reality's annual tournament. Like always, this has been Zach Martin and Bobby Morenoz, signing out. See you all next time next week in our weekly zombie slaying schedule._"

* * *

**A/N: Well, that was a fun tournament. *hears a whole lot of Pyrrha fans booing him* OK, really?**

**Now, I really hate to say that this chapter, along with the upcoming one for Remnant to Earth, got pushed away because of Writer's Block, busyness and just plain laziness. However, I have never forgotten my plans for the fics here on this site, so if I know a way to get out of them, I would be having an easier time. Also, Christmas is just around the corner, so I will do a Christmas chapter on either here or Remnant to Earth. Maybe both, since this one is now on December in the story's time wise, and the other one is based on how me and my friends encounter RWBY on Earth.**

**Also, recent episode of RWBY: FUCK YOU, MERCURY.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a Review and/or drop a suggestion.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	30. 30: A Very Saint Christmas

**(From December) A/N: With the Christmas holidays coming up, who can celebrate it more than the characters here in RWBY: Remnant Crisis? Either way, it would only end up being odd if the caretakers are a group of puckish rogues turned media superstars, The Saints. Now, seeing as this is my other Christmas special along with the one from Remnant to Earth, I would have to say that everything will go will. That, and writer's block is eventually disappearing and I am getting less work shifts (The latter, I'm not happy about).**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.  
**

**P.S.: I'm aware that its passed the holidays**

* * *

**Summer Rose POV**

**Central Plaza, Gizmon City**

**11:56 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 24****th****, 4021**

This has to be one of my most favorite holidays to celebrate in my entire life, and I have to say that this will be memorable. Memorable to the kids from Beacon because its their first Christmas on Earth, but it will be more memorable to me. The reason I think that way is because I get to celebrate it with my family. I have always spent every Christmas away from my kids due to 'an assignment from the Federation, a job from Beacon or providing assistance as one of Tosh's finest Spectres' over the years. Now, I have none of that crashing on me today, and I get to celebrate it with Ruby, Chris and his girlfriend… and my love, Erston.

Since today was Christmas Eve, I figured I could go and check out the city as Chris' street gang decorated the penthouse. I saw that asshole Zimos, so I already punched him down before leaving. Now, as I walk around the streets, I saw that the businesses were closed down to celebrate the holidays. I even saw the neon lights on the roads and holograms that they were emitting the traditional colors of red and green. Needless to say, Gizmon City is one of those places that celebrate Christmas as a city wide holiday.

"YO SUMMER, WAIT UP," I stop to see Pierce, one of Chris' lieutenants in the Saints. "Damn, you are hard to catch up with, you know that?"

"Pierce, what do you want from me now," I asked the man. "I thought you were busy promoting products?"

"Oh, I'm hurt 'Casey Hunter.' I thought you guys were supposed to be the Saint's friends."

I couldn't believe that my son's friend, the face of the Saints himself, called me by my actual name. The only people I have told that name to was Dark-Greymon, and Erston knew me before this era. Furious, I looked at the man who is now holding a smug look on his face, and I couldn't believe what he was thinking.

"There we go," he started. "I knew you had some triggers, just like your son."

"Damn, you're good," I told him before going into a cheery mood. "So, what do you want from me Pierce Washington?"

"Well, there is one big thing that I need, and that is your help. You see, the boss has asked us to set up a Christmas party for the kids from Beacon, and wanted your help with the set up."

"Set up for a Christmas party? I think I can help with that. Who else will be there?"

Pierce had to stop and think about it. "Hmm, Johnny has been elected once again to get the food and drinks, so he's back at the Dialga Mall with a transport truck. The boss, Hunter, is pretty much in the building, doing a whole shit tone of baking. He is full of surprises with that, since the last time he baked, all of the gang kept asking for more."

"Sounds like a good treat for Neo," I said to him.

"Yeah, but moving on, Matt is currently handling the Christmas decorating, so don't be surprised to see a mistletoe. Oleg Ran with Angel to set up the Christmas tree, and Kinzie is rewiring the tech to display Christmas colors. And before you ask, Zimos is staying at Rim Jobs for the holiday. Too much people kept asking him to get their cars worked on, and all his bitches are on holiday break."

That's good to know. When I first met Zimos here in this city, he mistakenly thought that I was a hooker walking the streets. Luckily, he got the message that I was not to be messed with when I kicked the living crap out of him. Regardless, he never looks at me again when I'm with my kids in the penthouse, knowing that he would be beaten when I was given the chance. To know that he is not going to the Christmas party eases my mind, so it gives me a chance to relax.

"Alright Pierce, you sold me," I expressed to him. "What is it that you want me to help with?"

"Everything," he replied back to me. "That is, if you don't mind."

So in other words, depending on how much is done, I have to go and help speed the setup along? Well, the alternative was to observe the city festivities on the rooftops, and that would have gotten boring fairly quickly. With my mind made up about it, I shook Pierce's hand before turning back to the penthouse, knowing what it is I have to do now.

* * *

**Chris Hunter POV**

**Saint's Tower, Gizmon City**

**17:43 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 25****th****, 4021**

I shouldn't have slept at all today. Despite living for what, two millennia, my mind is still that of a five year old in terms of Christmas. I never let it show though, since I am a UNSC Sky Marshal and a gang leader altogether. Out of everyone here, only mom and Ruby saw through my façade and told me to just let it happen. I wouldn't allow it, otherwise I would have given Kinzie or Matt any blackmail material.

Thanks to the setup that myself, Ruby, mom and the crew made, everyone is enjoying the Christmas party that we have all set up for. There were a few issues with Gat and the food, but we were able to get it all sorted out. Then Oleg and Matt placed a whole crap ton of gifts underneath the tree that they have brought over, all with the names of all those who goes to Beacon. I even saw Glynda's gift, and I have hoped that Ozpin knows about her 'problem' concerning gambling.

When the party started, everyone from Beacon began to converse with members of my gang. I even got to meet up with Ruby, who everyone still couldn't stop talking about since she aged rapidly by two years. I paid it no mind as I was on the couch in the living room, but I have to wonder why the parties are always held in the penthouse. My mind was interrupted when Neo came over.

"Hey there, beautiful," I greeted her as she sat down, seeing her blush a little. "Enjoying the party?"

"Yup," She answered. "Another party held at your placed here on Earth? I am more excited than anything, especially around Christmas."

"Yeah, though I have always wondered why it's always my place to hold the parties. I mean, sure it is a penthouse, and yes it has a pool, but why is it that my place holds the party?"

"The space, Chris. It's because your home has the space for it."

"Yeah, true enough," I said as she scooted over, putting her head on my shoulder. "Hey, now that I think about it, this is just like the old days of when we were kids."

"Daddy always tends to spoil the both of us," Neo said to me, nuzzling her head more. "I mean, he always goes overboard with the gifts when we were three to four years old."

"He's just showing that he cared about us A LOT!"

She nodded in agreement to that, knowing that her father, General Hazard, tends to overdo the gift giving to us. We kept talking about the past Christmas' we went through in the past, going on about the one gift her dad got us: A whole freaking arcade building. Granted, we enjoyed being in the building, but it never got any use after Neo disappeared. Nowadays, the building is still in operation in New York as part of a mall, even though it was subject to vandal.

Eventually, we both separated from each other to go speak with the others, with Neo going to tease Yang while I headed off to meet with some of the Saints. I saw that everyone was actually enjoying the party here, from Coco looking over the choices of clothing some of the guys wear (I swear, she should start a fashion company), Velvet being praised by a bunch of guys (who somehow got the traditional fan fashion they wear for pop idols) And the others relaxing in the pool outside.

"Yo Hunter," I was greeted by Matt. "Hey, it's been a while since I last saw you."

"Miller, we spoke with each other weeks ago," I reminded him. "It wasn't like a whole few years like last time."

"Oh, sorry about that. You know that I tend to get a little worried. Anyways, what do you think of the party?"

"Well, I did help set up the party. Needless to say, I'm surprised to know that you're here back home. Is Remnant somewhat advanced like us?"

I told him about how Remnant appeared to me, from the economy over to the usage of Dust on their world. He was intrigued over the info I gave him, but when I told him that the Dust somehow works like untapped Apatheia, he grew rather curious? When he asked if he could look into it, I gave him one of the many Dust crystals that Goodwitch had in her being. Next thing I know, he dashed off to one of the labs Saints Tower held in the middle floors. I reckon I won't hear from him for a while.

Getting back on track, I made my way back outside of the building to admire the city. All of the buildings and vehicles that I saw were donning the standard red and green neon lights, whereas the streets are littered with people dressed for the holidays. The air itself is nice and cool, and small layers of snow blanketed the sky. To make it more festive. The artificial moon orbiting around the planet was also emitting the lights of Christmas.

"Nice view, isn't it," I heard Ruby as she walked up. "I still remember the first time I laid eyes on the moon: very different from the shattered moon of Remnant."

"Are you sure about that," I questioned her. "It was my decision to authorize the creation of the artificial moon. Because it acts like a normal one, the people have decided to call it Project Luna. Quite fitting, actually."

"Yeah." She moved a bit further up. "To think, in a few days, we're going back to Beacon, and its back to business as usual."

"Only this time, you guys will be dealing with feral bioweapons and an entire PMC instead of the Creatures of Grimm and the White Fang. You know, I never even met the guy who you always run into."

"Roman Torchwick," Ruby said his name, to which I nodded. "I did overhear that he somehow managed to escape from Atlas custody, and that he was back to stealing the Dust."

"And along the way, met up with Desperado."

Ruby nodded when I said that, and we both got to wondering what we're going to do. Sure, going back to Beacon is the plan after a few more days, but beyond that, we haven't heard anything about Desperado's movements. We both know that they are a threat to Remnant society, and with their connections to Cinder, the White Fang and Shadow Hunter, they are getting everything set up for an all-out war. When I think about it, I have a feeling that someone familiar in my past is mobilized.

"Yo boss, it's about time to do the gift giving," I heard Pierce shout out from inside the penthouse, causing me to freak out.

"Go, bro," I heard Ruby say one more time. "Make this the best Christmas everyone has."

I rushed back inside to the living room, where everyone in the party was gathered in the center. All of the Saints were seen standing by the walls while the teams from Beacon were all sitting on the couches, eager to get whatever the gang got them. The only ones that aren't on couches were CRDL, who were still covered in bandages from their time with Professor Genki.

"Alright, now that everyone is here," I saw Ruby walk in as Pierce started. "I would like to officially announce that the Saints Christmas can begin now. Right over that tree are all the gifts that the gang has gotten for all of you."

"Pierce, I will fucking murder you," I saw Shaundi speak out beside the tree, wearing a slut elf costume.

"Come on, girl, it's the season of giving. Now shut the fuck up and start getting the presents ready."

I already know that Shaundi was not the type to be ordered around. She reluctantly started going through the gifts until she has them all out. She then started to call out the names of the kids, with each one receiving their gifts. It was a very large assortment of them, from another stack of comic books for Jaune to an actual sloth for Nora. I know she's going to be with it all the time now. I then saw Neo walk up to me and hugged me, showing me the gift I got her: a gold ring with a diamond on it.

"Ohhhh, Our couple is underneath the mistletoe," I heard everyone shout out around us, only for the both of us to look up. True enough, there was mistletoe on top of us. I looked back at Neo, who only smiled before I leaned down and kissed her. She accepted it no problem, and before I know it, everyone was shouting out cheers to us.

"Chris," She said when we broke off the kiss. "This has to be one of the best Christmas' I have been a part of. Thank you."

"Well we have one more gift for Team CRDL," Pierce shouted out, grabbing our attention again. "And you know what it is, boss."

As pierce opened up the gate in front of them, I could have sworn that I was drunk. Their gift suddenly exploded, and in its place stood Professor Genki. Their eyes widened in fear as the mad cat approached them with that smile of his, and everyone saw them piss themselves. All of us laughed at the scene as Genki started doing that dance of his, only for him to knock them out completely. He then turned back around, gave me $500 bucks and left.

"Well," Neo started. "That was a thing."

* * *

**A/N: Well, I think that was definitely something.**

**Now, I do apologize for not getting this chapter out before or on Christmas, but you know how life works. It suddenly hits me hard, what with a few shifts at work on the holidays, and with me getting myself an Xbox One. But either way, I figured it was good enough for me to post this before the next episode of RWBY tomorrow. I don't have the Rooster Teeth subscription, so don't spoil it for me. Now, before any confusion occurs, this and Change of Existence happens after Volume II, so anything that happens in Volume III will not be mentioned.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Stinger…**

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Unknown Location**

**Unknown Date and Time**

"So, Mistral of the Winds is dead! This will not stand."

Exavolt has received confirmartion from the screen, showing that the female Cyborg is now KIA. He knew that it would happen, but from seeing the footage of Terror is Reality, he began to lash out on any of the machines that were in his way. However, it all changed when he began to laugh maniacally, knowing his next plan of action.

"Alright then, Hunter scum," he said out loud. "You want a war? You got a war." He then turns to his machines. "Activate all the Bioweapons scattered around Remnant, and have them annihilate the four kingdoms. Send word out to Sundowner and Monsoon that the final phase shall begin. Order them to assault Atlas, and destroy its puny military. And when they are finished, destroy the Schnee Dust Company, and convert it into World Marshal. They should enjoy this."

"Yes sir, Dr. Exavolt."

Satisfied with what will happen, he made his way back to the armory to work on his latest design, only to look back one more time.

"Humanity's time is over, Hunter Bloodline," he spoke up. "It's about time their light… to be extinguished."


	31. 31: Out of Control

**A/N: Now is the time for our characters to return to Remnant, only this time, they bit off more than they can chew.**

**Now, seeing as how it is getting close to the next part, I would to address that the next arc of this story will be dubbed "Atlas Cyborgs," since it will be set in the Kingdom of Atlas. Along with the amount of Bioweapons present on Remnant, the characters will be encountering cyborgs left and right. As for individual conflicts, I have chosen the order as Neo vs. RAY, Yang vs. Khamsin and Summer vs. Monsoon. I will let you figure out the next conflicts afterwards, but for the moment, be hyped.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, Signing out.**

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**Ruby Rose POV**

**Saint's Tower, Gizmon City**

**10:11 UNSC Standard Time**

**December 27****th****, 4021**

While I am sad to leave Earth behind again, I am glad to say that everyone enjoyed their time on this planet. Sure, we never got around to doing some of the things Chris planned out with Ozpin, but I was really glad to talk to and hang out with the Saints again. Sadly, we can stay for too long, since Beacon has another set of missions for us to undertake. Now that I think about it, this will be my first mission as a 17 year old.

Leaving the penthouse was too easy for us when three dropships arrived on the Helipad outside, but leaving friends behind was the hardest. I mean, I was hugged by Mr. Pierce, who wouldn't let go when my brother told him to. Matt came around and gave Chris a modified cellphone, and I heard that it would allow him to make calls to the Saints from Remnant. Out of all the good byes, Yang's was the most odd, since all she did was collide their hands together and vowing to 'come back and wreck another bar.' I better hope Goodwitch has a punishment for that.

After our good byes with the Saints were done, we all gathered our things and boarded the dropships. It was a nice trip to unwind, but I have a feeling that we'll come back again in the future, like another field trip or during the summer break. Still, going back to Remnant will mean going back to killing Creatures of Grimm and classes all over. I wish I was in Chris' shoes right now, cause classes are so boring.

As minutes turned into hours, we finally arrived in the hanger bays of the _Grafton,_ the same frigate that took us from Remnant to Earth. The soldiers quickly began working on transferring our belongings as we exited the dropships, and Chris left with Neo to check on the bridge for any updates with the peace talks. I hoped that they were going well, cause we don't need a war breaking out between worlds.

"Hey Ruby," I turned around to see Coco walking towards me. "I bet you are glad to be going back to Beacon, huh?"

"You know it, team leader buddy," I told her. "The only thing I am not looking forward to is the lectures from Professor Port. Ugh, that guy always talks about himself more than giving out actual lessons."

"I hear you, little red. I think we can all agree that we're looking forward to some more Grimm killing back home, or if we're lucky, maybe take on some of those 'bioweapons' mentioned."

"You want to fight a bioweapon? A machine developed on Earth that can dish out some lethal artes? Coco, you do realize that only me, my team and my brother has experience fighting those things."

"I know, but they're on our soil. Therefore, they are not only Earth's problem, but Remnant's as well."

I couldn't argue with her more. From what I heard from Chris, the bioweapons that are rampaging on Remnant right now were originally feral beasts that prowled their natural habitats. It's only because of human intervention that the monsters were taking to research and development facilities and converted into killing machines. Last I heard was that some of the bioweapons continue to operate as security for some of the large research institutes.

"_Attention all passengers of the UNSC Frigate _Grafton," We all heard the captain from the intercoms. "_We will be appearing in Remnant airspace in a few minutes. Gather you're belongings and prep yourselves for return._"

"Well Red," Coco said during the announcement. "I guess we'll be ready to take them on. What do you say about having a little competition?"

"Competition," I asked her. "What do you mean by competition?"

"Simple: This will be a competition between teams CFVY and RWBY, and the goal is to see how many of those bioweapons we can smash. Whoever gets to kill more than the other gets bragging rights and the option to order the losers around."

"OK then. Then let's make this interesting," I told her. "If RWBY wins this competition, not only do you have to tone done the fashion statements, but you also have to wear one of those mascot suits for a whole day."

"I can accept that," Coco said with a pale face. "But if CFVY wins, your whole team, including your brother, will have to model for a new line of clothes I am thinking of making."

I could only laugh at her for saying that, knowing full well that my team and I would take out more bioweapons than her and her friends. Don't get me wrong, Coco and her team are strong, but they never had to fight bioweapons like we did. I mean, when the White Fang were attacking Vale weeks ago, I managed to take out a behemoth while I saw the footage of Weiss and Blake destroying bioweapons called Vespids. When I think about it, we were the ones with more experience with taking out bioweapons.

"_Remnant entry is imminent. All units, prepare for insertion._"

When we heard that, most of us went over to a nearby window to see the change. True to the captain's word, the scenery we were given was of the Grand Canyon, only for bolts of lightning to take the view for a second until we saw the Emerald Forest. I looked over and saw that everyone was mesmerized by the change again, and I know that seeing one world for a brief second to another world is interesting. That all changed when the ship shook, throwing some of us off of the railing.

"What the hell? Did something just hit us," I heard one of the marines shout out, only for me to see the cause.

"Aw hell," I cursed. "Everyone, back up. We have a bioweapon breach."

Everyone else saw what I meant, and even Coco was shocked. The breach in the _Grafton_ was caused by an Alpha Behemoth bioweapon, which managed to punch a hole in the frigate. Like anything, I saw the soldiers scrambling into position to take it on. Its focus was entirely on us the whole time though, and by some programming, it began to move towards us. I was set into instinct as I drew Crescent Rose out when the soldiers began firing at it.

"All units, focus fire on the Alpha Behemoth," I heard the squad leader shout out orders. "Don't let that bastard near the kids."

The bioweapon roared out in pain as bullets and plasma collided with its body, but when I looked closer, the damage on it only appeared minimal. The Behemoth then shifted its focus from us to the attacking soldiers, and what happened next horrified some of the guys from Beacon. The thing roared out before charging at the men, and when it got close, it used its claw to sever some of the marines' bodies in half. Some of the men were easily killed by the bioweapon's paw stomps, and a few of the small Grunt aliens never stood a chance against it. Some tried firing plasma pistols at it, only for the machine to bite their heads off, while the rest ran away from their posts, only to have their bodies penetrated by the monster's claw.

I saw some of my friends horrified over the end result of the monster's barrage on the soldiers, but then I saw the thing shift its gaze back at us. I already figured the Behemoth is targeting us, and when we backed away from it, the thing moved forward. It only stopped in front of us when our backs were on the wall, and I can tell someone pissed their pants.

"Everyone, I am well aware that we're training you to be Huntsmen and Huntresses," I heard Professor Goodwitch say to us. "However, our only choice in this matter is to be still. We still don't know its full capabilities."

"Screw that," I heard Cardin say next. "If you pussies are to stand there and piss yourselves, then be my guest. I'm not going to be intimidated by some walking piece of nuts and bolts."

"Cardin, are you crazy," I asked him, only to receive him readying his mace for an answer. I knew the guy would never listen, but to see him walking towards the Alpha Behemoth is complete suicide. He completely ignored the pleas from his teammates and Professor Goodwitch to face the bioweapon with mace in hand and the bioweapon started to glare at him.

"Aright, tin can," Cardin taunted the Behemoth. "Here's how this will go: I'm going to smash my mace into that robotic head of yours, and you are going to die."

The Behemoth ignored Cardin's threat as it moved forward towards him while he did the same. I can tell that the guy is determined, but from looking at both him and the bioweapon, I know that it would be a losing battle for him. It was only when Cardin smacked it in the face with it that it went downhill for him.

"You like that," He asked it as he smashed its face again and again. "Well here's another one for you, and another. You are going to be nothing but scrap by the time I'm done with you. You are so going down by the great Cardin Winchester."

The Alpha Behemoth looked like it had enough with the abuse, and when Cardin was about to strike again, it bit into the mace and left him weaponless. It then started to alter itself when it began to stand on its two legs, balancing itself to look more imposing. To complete its transformation, it grabbed its makeshift horn before pulling it out, revealing it to be a heavy longsword. It let out one more roar before looking at Cardin again, who at that point was screwed.

"Mommy," I heard him squeeze out that word before the bioweapon struck downwards, slicing him completely in half. His whole team shouted out his name as the Behemoth killed him, but then they when wide eyed when it started glaring at them. I knew by then that they don't want to die like that bastard, so like my brother, I set up my scroll to play one song on loop before walking up towards it.

"Hey buddy," I said grabbing its attention as I put headphones on, setting the song to STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION's 'Genesis.' "I bet you must be pretty unsatisfied with Cardin's death. Why don't you play with me if you're hungry for carnage?"

Whatever I had just said had succeeded in taunting the alpha type bioweapon as it shifted its whole body towards me, walking up to me as I hit play on my scroll. At this point, I didn't hear the protests from my team or my friends as my focus was on the machine. When it stood in front of me, I could only smirk over how it tried to intimidate me. It was when I saw it swing its sword down on me when I blocked it with Crescent Rose.

"Come on. You call that a strike," I taunted again before swinging my scythe around to disproportion it. It earned some pretty shocked expressions from everyone but my team when I did that, but it changed to awe over my next actions. As the song picked up on the speed of the beat, I removed my blade from the machine's before spinning it relentlessly, striking it in the face down to the upper chest. It could only roar out in pain before I kicked it far from me, ramming into a nearby Phantom that threw out a stray Grunt.

Not long after I kicked it though, I saw it charging at me with the intent to kill. I only smirked again at its attempt, and when it struck, I safely jumped over the side of its attack. It quickly followed up the strike with a few follow up swings with its sword, but it only got angrier as I side step, jump over and straight up dodge each time. It let out a roar of rage over its failed attempts, and before I know it, it tried to grab me with its spare claw.

"Whoa, you gotta by me dinner, first," I said to it before slicing its claw, resulting in it losing some fingers. A roar of pain was heard from it as I started striking its body again, only to add in a few bullets from Crescent Rose at the end of each of my combos. With it still in pain, I kept up my attacks when it swung its sword at me. I could only jump over it before hitting its face with my blade, shifting Crescent Rose into rifle mode to fire one more bullet into it.

I landed on my feet afterwards as the mechanical beast recoiled in pain, but I knew that with the face gone, it's still a threat not to take lightly. I mentally called my Spirit Blaze to convert into katana mode, causing electricity to take over Crescent Rose's position until it took on Crescent Blaze's form. When the Alpha Behemoth looked at me with what was left of its face, I knew by then that it was screwed.

I smirked at the Alpha Behemoth as it got back on its feet, thinking that it has a chance to kill me. One quick move was its downfall as it lunged towards me with that sword its holding, swinging it around endlessly and damaging the flooring of the _Grafton_. I however remained unscathed by that barrage, and when it assessed the carnage it brought, I swung my katana on key parts of its joints to make it fall. It roared out in pain again out of what remains to be a mouth, but it wasn't prepared for me when I cut into its metallic skin layer, destroying some of the wiring in the process. I also threw in a few extra kicks in to increase the pain I'm bringing it, adding in some Azure Edge artes on the exposed insides for good measure. When I struck at it again, jumping in the air, I could feel some sort of energy coursing through me as my body glowed.

"Wait, is this," I said to myself as the machine looked at me. "Is this my brother's Mystic Arte?"

"_No_," I heard Blaze in my katana. "_It's not just Chris Hunter's Mystic Arte… It's the Hunter Bloodline's signature_."

I understood what my Spirit meant by the bloodline's signature as the energy felt natural to me, and before I know it, my body began to move in speed similar to my semblance. With it, I kept slashing the Alpha Behemoth restlessly as it recoiled, not giving it a chance to hit me at all. It kept roaring out as both my attacks and speed increased in tenacity, and I wasn't feeling dizzy because of this. When I made another strike on the chest, I followed it up with an upward slash and jumped over it, changing my grip on my weapon as I eyed the mechanical beast.

"It was over before you faced me," I said to it as it looked at me. "SAVAGE WOLF FURY!"

As I had shouted out, I began to spiral down towards it with the blade out, descending rapidly to the floor. My blade reached the Alpha Behemoth dead center as the song on my scroll was ending, and with my speed, I sliced right through it, cutting it in half. When I landed on the ground, I quickly back flipped away from the monster by a couple of feet, making sure I have some distance. With that done, I stood right in front of my friends before flicking Crescent Blaze to the ground, seeing the Behemoth's body explode from the damage I inflicted.

"And that," I started as I took off my headphones. "Is how you properly take out a bioweapon."

Not long after that, Chris came back in the hangar along with Neo and a squad of Spartans, only to see the aftermath of my fight. Right off the bat, he ordered the soldiers to scan the area for any further damage done to the _Grafton_ as he walked towards us. Many of my friends were praising me over the fact that I destroyed the Alpha Behemoth, but only Sky and Dove were pissed because 'I couldn't save Cardin on time.' It took some stern talking from Chris in 'Sky Marshal' mode that they were able to shut up and made his way to his corpse.

"Chris Hunter," I heard Goodwitch as she walked over to him. "Is this the kind of lethality the bioweapons can possess?"

"Yeah," he answered her. "I received word from the _Nightshadow._ It's not just here that the bioweapons are attacking. There are increasing reports of them assaulting all of the four kingdoms here on Remnant. So far, the Covenant flagship is keeping the machines away from Vale while the _Shadow of Intent_ and the _Truth and Reconciliation _are covering Vacuo and Mistral. However, we lost contact with the UNSC frigates _Savannah _and_ Forward Unto Dawn_ when they went to Atlas."

"Well I can understand that. James has the entire Atlesian fleet stationed there. Two foreign airships in their airspace would cause problems."

"That's not what I meant," he said, catching the professor off guard. "While it's true that bioweapons are wreaking havoc on Altas soil, the two frigates weren't destroyed by them. Their last report was a large mass of Cyborgs destroying the Atlesian military before a RAY model came and blew them up."

"Cyborgs are attacking Atlas," Weiss spoke up next. "That would mean that they'll take the SDC, kill my father and control what's left."

"Well, in any case, we should head over to Beacon for now," Chris suggested. "This way, we can plan out what to do with Desperado and its army of Cyborgs and bioweapons."

With that said, he left us to relay a message over to the captain of the _Grafton_, causing the ship to move directly towards Beacon. I took one last look at Cardin's body before moving towards the window. If my hunch is right, then Dr. Exavolt, the machine my dream warned me about, has made his move.

"Just you wait," I said while looking out. "We will take you down, Exavolt. You'll pay for what you have done to Remnant."

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**A/N: Well, Ruby has sworn to fight on, knowing who's pulling the strings.**

**Now, typing the chapter out wasn't that easy, what with the whole Alpha Behemoth suddenly appearing out of nowhere bringing out a lot of ideas. However, with the Winter season of anime starting, I gained inspiration from Dimension W's opening song, which I got the idea of Ruby listening to it on repeat through the headphones while fighting the bioweapon. Also, I would like to say that although CRDL as a whole were asses, I believed that they only did them with Cardin being the boss, therefore just having him die in the chapter.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review, follow and/or favorite.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago Signing out.**


	32. 32: Briefing

**A/N: Is it just me, or are things starting to heat up here?**

**I just want to let everyone know that, yes, I am aware that my update speed isn't fast, but that's because life tends to throw a wrench at me. Looking at some chapters, I have made notes that start in one month, and when they are done, they have the ending note set on another month. That was supposed to change with me working two shifts per week, but with the Xbox One, it's the same as always.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**

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**Ruby Rose POV**

**Auditorium, Beacon Academy**

**8:21 A.M.**

**December 29****th**

"_This is Lieutenant Ciel Soleil, contacting Atlas Command. Come in Command._"

"_This is Atlas Command. We read you loud and clear, Lieutenant._"

It has been two days since Cardin's death and his funeral. So far, the attacks from the bioweapons haven't stopped at all since, only increasing in intensity to combat the Covenant airships. Luckily, Cyclos was able to salvage a piece of Intel from Atlas detailing the early minutes of their encounter with Cyborgs and the mechanical nightmares. It turned out to be a video feed from one of Atlas' recon ships, and we're all watching it in the auditorium.

"_Sir, I am getting abnormal readings all over the planet that the Creatures of Grimm are now Extinct. I repeat, the Grimm are now extinct. However, new abnormal monsters have taken up residence in the wilds._"

"_We're aware, Lieutenant Soleil. We heard from General Ironwood that according to the otherworld visitors, the UNSC and the Covenant, those monsters are known to them as bioweapons. From what they told us, these things retain the souls of when they were feral beasts, along with the addition of manmade weaponry. Approach with extreme caution_."

We all saw what the video presented to us, and it wasn't pretty. A large armada of bioweapons were gathering around what looked like a King Taijitu nest remains, while aerial mechanical dragons prowled the skies over them. What shocked us next was what took the cake: Both the _Savannah_ and the _Forward Unto Dawn_ were entering the Atlesian skies with the weapons needed to destroy them.

"_Attention Atlas armada, this is Captain Andrew Del Rio of the UNSC frigate _Forward Unto Dawn," We heard next. "_Under orders of the Covenant High Lord Cyclos, both frigates are stationed here to help contain the bioweapon infestation._"

More feeds came on around the one from Atlas recon's point of view, showing the soldiers of the frigates dropping down to the snowy fields to engage the bioweapons. Everyone was amased with how the men taking them on were different from us, but I know that these were trained ODST's: men that drop down to the ground from the skies. Each of the feeds we saw detailed the UNSC's conflict with the bioweapons as one ODST gunned a Pantheron down with a minigun while another, a Spec Ops elite, sliced through an Azure Behemoth with an energy sword.

"_Command, are you seeing this,_" We heard from the recon feed. "_Those people are actually making a stand against those things._"

"_To all UNSC and Covenant forces on the ground, push forward,_" the captain of the _Forward Unto Dawn _spoke up. "_Keep pushing the bioweapons back. Don't let a single one get to the cit—_"

The _Forward Unto Dawn_ Never got to relay the complete order as a laser was fired through the frigate's center. All of the feeds were pointed over to the skies as the airship descended to the ground while the _Savannah _met the same fate. While everyone was freaking out from the ships being destroyed in the video, I was more focused on the image behind the frigates. It was then that I saw the cause: A giant amphibian bioweapon that matched the height of the Mark Nicht I encountered in Fortune City. As it finished destroying both frigates, it let out a loud roar as the other feeds looked at it.

"_Lieutenant Soleil, return to base immediately,_" the voice of Altas' command instructed. "_You are sitting duck out there. Get out of the combat zone right now._"

"_I'm already on it sir,_" the Recon pilot said as I saw that giant machine power up its laser again. "_I never expected something to destroy our otherworldly visitors so fast. I'll do what I can to get out of there and retu—_"

Before she could get a word in, the bioweapon fired again and destroyed the scout ship, cutting off the feed. All corresponding feeds were immediately shut off as we all tried to gather our thoughts on the matter. I saw that Professor Ozpin was at the stage along with Chris, Dark-Greymon and Professor Goodwitch. I think that both teachers are grieving over what has happened with Atlas, while Chris and Dark-Greymon saluted to the fallen soldiers of the frigates that were lost in the feed.

"That was hours before we have lost all contact with the kingdom of Atlas," Ozpin started, grabbing everyone's attention. "After their scouts were destroyed along with the ships from Earth, General Ironwood informed me that a mass army of Cyborgs were seen escorting that monstrosity of a bioweapon. He was about to send more when the Atlas military's command structure collapsed to another monster: a transport bioweapon called a Scarab."

"Cyborgs have access to a Scarab," Dark-Greymon asked him, receiving a nod in return. "That's not good at all. The Covenant were already planning on saving them for large scale operations. If the Cyborgs have one, then it's only a matter of time before Cyclos will call for a complete glassing."

"Not without the council's blessing, he won't. He already approached the councils of Vale, Vacuo and Mistral with the topic, giving them the authority to order glassing."

"In other words, the Covenant fleet can't destroy Atlas completely."

"They won't be able to, due to the bioweapons across the other three kingdoms," Chris added in. "With the _Nightshadow_ in Vale, the _Truth and Reconciliation_ and the _Shadow of Intent_ at the other two continents, the cyborgs have taken the chance to invade and set up shop. If I remember correctly, when the White Fang ceased operating in the city, Yang, Neo and I ran into Mistral. She confirmed that this was all planned by Desperado, and with her being on Earth on our trip, the Cyborgs took the opportunity to take over."

"I am aware that this Desperado is a major threat, but so are the bioweapons," Ozpin finished before looking at us. "With this new piece of information, I have decided to send you all on missions for the curriculum. Unlike last time, you will be sent to different parts of the three kingdoms to help the Covenant push back the monsters."

"While it is true that you will along with a professional Huntsman or Huntress on the job," Chris spoke up. "You are all required to be escorted by a trained UNSC/Covenant squadron as well. This way, you will see firsthand how we deal with them."

Everyone but us were completely shocked by the news he gave us. Basically, Chris is making this whole thing a multi-national operation between Earth and Remnant, with us learning from them. I looked over and saw that Yang was fired up to fight some bioweapons while Weiss and Blake were forming strategies in their heads.

"However, in the terms of Atlas and the Cyborgs," we heard my brother again. "I have personally assigned myself, team RWBY and Neo to partake in fighting them. Dismissed."

With him saying that, everyone headed over to select their respected missions and location. I was puzzled completely when I heard him though, telling us that we are not fighting bioweapons, but an entire Cyborg army. Now, I would normally think this to be complete suicide, but I have heard of stories of Spartans crippling armadas before. And since my whole team are Spartans, we can take them out easily.

I lead everyone over to where Chris was, seeing him talking something out with mom. I believe she is telling him that she is coming along, since she is a Huntress on Remnant. I was the look of defeat on his face, so I know that he couldn't persuade her otherwise. I could only smirk as he backed away as she grabbed her weapons, which to my surprise, were a pair of gauntlets.

"Mom, what do you think you're doing," I heard Yang ask. "Are you going with another team to fight some bioweapons?"

"No, something more important than that," she answered back, confusing us. "There is one person that I need to kill to avenge some old friends. It just so happens that he is part of Desperado, one of their Winds of Destruction."

"Wait, you want to fight one of the Winds? But mom, I hear that these guys are as strong as Mistral. And besides, who's left of them?"

"Monsoon, the Seasonal Winds of Asia," Chris answered this time. "A master of the sai, he can manipulate his body to separate at will, reconnecting with the magnets placed on him. Sundowner, the Californian Wildfire. That guy earned his name due to how his bloodshed went. They say that the blood from the corpses make up an admiring view in sunset. Finally, there is the Desert Storm, Khamsin. Less of a Cyborg and more of a bioweapon, his body is connected to a bipedal combat walker from his torso."

We all gathered our thoughts as to what the Cyborgs are and what they can do. I can already bet that Yang is itching to fight Khamsin, and we know that mom will fight Monsoon. That just leaves Sundowner and the Cyborg infantry, and I think we'll have Weiss and Blake take them on. That would only leave Sundowner to Chris, Neo and myself, and I can guess that we'll have a hard time with him.

"But before we actually go to Atlas," mom drew us from our thoughts. "You guys need to get changed. I mean, you four are not going into Cyborg territory in your usual huntress clothing."

"What exactly do you mean by that," Weiss asked as she walked up.

"I got a message from the _Nightshadow._ They say that a very special package came in for you four."

* * *

**Hours Later**

_**Nightshadow **_**Armory**

To think that we had to get changed was an understatement. Apparently, the gift that mom mentioned earlier before was actually the Spartan Armor that Chris organized for us. I have always dreamed of the day I get to try it on, but never on the day of my mission. I'm surprised that Chris actually got our color schemes right when we saw them, so I was really happy about that. If I ever walked into a combat class with it on, I would know that everyone will be jealous of me and my team.

I looked over to everyone that was present, seeing that Chris had his on already. Taking a glimpse, I have noticed that everyone's armor was different from one another. Yang had her armor colored yellow to fit to her liking, and hers was a modified CQB configuration. Blake happened to be wearing black Spartan armor which appeared to be the Scout variety. Weiss was in what looked like Recon armor, adorned with her white color scheme. Mine however was the same as my brothers as it is Hayabusa configuration, only mine was red and black while his was blue and red. I can tell that Neo is in awe over the designs of the armor.

"Alright, now that we have you all outfitted with Spartan armor, I think it's about that we plan out our strategy," Chris said as I saw Yang outfit Ember Celica on her forearms. "Since the world's councils gave us the map to the four kingdoms, we all need to form a plan on Atlas. So…"

When we all looked at him, he set up the holo-board to show Atlas' main city. Red blips were shown roaming around the creeks of the hologram, depicting Cyborg and/or bioweapon patrols, whereas there are green blips all centered around an obsolete building. I already know the place as Atlas Academy, a school like Beacon that trains people to fight against the Grimm. However, with news that those monsters are extinct, there will probably be no more use for Huntsman academies.

"Thanks to the sudden appearance of the RAY model in the feed," Chris started. "We're going to have to make sure to stay discreet. We're going to have to fly in Cyborg territory in low altitude, dropping in near Atlas Academy. There is a strong likelihood that the survivors there are the citizens, students and remaining members of the kingdom's forces. From there, we're going to move right into the heart of the city: the Schnee Dust Company's headquarters."

"From there on, I think that navigation should be given to me," Weiss interrupted. "I, myself, am a Schnee, so that would mean that any security protocols in the building can be easily accessed."

"That is, if Desperado hasn't entered the security room and altered the overrides. Knowing them, they would already move forward with their own renovations and started converting it into the next World Marshal. I wouldn't be surprised if they had replaced the top office with a server room."

"Regardless, we are going to try," Weiss shouted at him before looking at the screen. "Now, I may be a little biased, but due to our last run in with the White Fang, I have some sneaking suspicions that the Cyborgs have them on their payroll now. For all I know, the terrorists would be out in the streets as some of those red blips."

"And then there are the Winds of Destruction," Chris took over again. "With the amount of power that these Cyborgs have in their possession, I believe that we should have at least one person stay behind to at least delay them from reaching the main group. Our priority is to cripple Desperado by killing their strongest, meaning that Monsoon, Khamsin and Sundowner has to go."

"And when that is over," mom came in now, wearing some of Chris' clothes. "We radio in for a mass pickup. One Pelican is all we need for us as a whole, but for the survivors of Atlas, we're going to need something similar to a colony vessel. Luckily, the _Nightshadow _came prepared with two fueled up Hercules dropships, so we can use them to pick the people up. Lastly, the Covenant will draw their two carriers over to Atlas and begin glassing the surface, taking out any straggling Cyborgs."

"OK then, so when the Cyborgs are thereby killed off, will that make the bioweapons shut down and collapse to the ground," Yang asked her.

"No, that won't likely happen. Bioweapons are essentially monsters created from feral beasts. Even if we defeat Desperado and all of their Cyborg forces, the machines will more than likely go back to their feral systems. I wouldn't be surprised if they had set up underground factories just for the sake of pumping out more bioweapons."

"It basically means that we still have monsters to face after taking them on," I finally spoke up, looking over the holo board. "We're practically going in at the site of the Academy, only to rush straight in to the SDC. If we just go the straight way to the building, we'll be hammered by Desperado. So…" I paused to punch in a route from our drop point to our destination. "I believe that we are to take the road that will have the least amount of Cyborgs, therefore moving a lot more quickly. If you are Yang, then we can go all over the place and defeat practically every one of their forces."

"Oh yeah, that is a plan that I can get behind," I heard my sister shout out.

"As much as I would agree with Yang on this," Chris grabbed our attention. "I would have to side with Ruby on this plan. Time is of the essence here, and any hour we waste on killing waves of Cyborgs and bioweapons will give them time to enact a full scale war between Remnant and Earth."

"Right, meaning we don't have much time to begin with." I breathed out before continuing. "If we have something that could get us from one point to the next in minutes, that could cut our time on Atlas by about half."

"Well, we have two readied Warthogs waiting to be used, one with a Gauss turret and one for transportation. We can use those to get to where the Cyborgs set up shop."

"I still want to check on the survivors," Weiss spoke up. "I know I favor less of my father, but I have to know if my sister made it out of the city alive."

"More than likely," I told her. "With this all in mind, I think we should get ready ASAP. We don't want to give the Cyborgs an inch."

With that all said, we all got ourselves ready with our weapons checks and armor customization. I had to say that I completely took control over that briefing from my brother. I looked at him to see that smile of his again, hearing him say that I would make a great Sky Marshal if he retires. Of course, that would depend on if we all make it out of Atlas in one piece, and if he ever plans to retire and be with Neo. I kept that thought in my mind as we all loaded up in the Pelican, only to shift over to our current situation.

In my brother's words, 'It's our time now, so let's get this shit started.'

* * *

**A/N: Everything has been laid out for the characters, and now it's time to go to Atlas.**

**I really don't know what to say, other than the fact that everything went south fast. After I saw more Winter art, I knew I had to add her in to ease Weiss' worries. Also, that one moment in Volume 3 when Roman destroyed some of the Atlesian ships had an influence in the chapter, so I do apologize about it. However, I must say that I will be looking forward to typing the upcoming fight chapters.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review, favorite and/or follow.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


	33. 33: Drop

**Ruby Rose POV**

**En-route to Atlas, Remnant Skies**

**1:24 P.M.**

**December 29****th**

Flying over to Atlas is time consuming for all of us, only this time, we're on a Pelican en-route to the academy in half the time we would normally take on a Bullhead. The UNSC was specific enough to send us in one that Desperado wouldn't likely to shoot down in the sky, meaning the Cyborgs would leave us alone. It would be easy for us anyways, since it would give us a chance to land at Atlas' academy.

I was looking through the loading bay door's window to get myself acquainted with the atmosphere, seeing the view of Remnant's oceans until we saw the glaciers that covered the continent. I had already worked on the armor I received earlier today to my modifications, switching one of the shoulder pads to something called NOBLE, while making sure my rose emblem was etched along on the chest piece. Everyone else with me did the same with the minor additions, though I saw Yang take off the forearm pieces, tearing the suit underneath it till it was shirt sleeve length and donning Ember Celica.

I heard them all conversing with one another while I kept looking over the horizon. I briefly glanced over to see Neo looking over her weapon, which to my surprise is a long katana. Going off of Yang's description, Neo fought well with an umbrella with a hidden blade during her encounter in the Breach, but now she is holding a longer blade, looking over it. Then again, mom did train her during our field trip on Earth.

"Alright, RWBY, form up," Chris shouted out, grabbing our attention. "As of this moment, this is an international joint operation between Remnant and Earth, and our focus is clear. Our orders are to enter enemy controlled territory and destroy our foes from within. Targets include the remaining members of the Winds, as well as destruction of the RAY model bioweapon."

"Chris, what are we going to do about the waves of cyborgs," Blake asked him. "I understand that we are to get to the SDC building, but exactly how are we going to get to it without running into too many of them?"

"If the survivors at Atlas Academy could have included some stray UNSC personel, we could get through them with any transport vehicles," Weiss added in. "I may be stretching it, but there is a possibility that only a fraction of the ground forces could ha—"

"_Th… s Gunnery Ser… uck… to all… SC forc…_" our radios boomed, interrupting Weiss. "_We ar… nned down… tlas Academy… bioweapons… e attacking in… force. Ne… stance._"

"Say again, you're breaking up, trooper," Chris spoke into the comm, which we received a more clear message.

"_This is Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck to all UNSC forces. We are pinned down at Atlas Academy. The Bioweapons are attacking in full force. We need assistance._"

"This is Sky Marshal Hunter. We read you loud and clear soldier. We are en-route to your position, so keep an eye out for a pelican in the skies."

"_Affirmative. We'll hold out for as long as we can with Atlas military survivor Winter Schnee._"

I saw Yang hold Weiss back when we heard Winter's name as Chris continued. "Understood, trooper. The Spartans are on their way."

The connection between Chris and the soldier ended as the Pelican opens up the doors midair, allowing us to see the current scenery. As expected, the sight of Atlas Academy was visible underneath us, and the appearance of flying bioweapons confirmed our fears. Whoever survived the frigates' destruction were pinned down at the school, and fortunately, we're the cavalry.

"OK," we all looked at Yang, who started to talk. "Now that we know that some soldiers did in fact survive, we might as well help them out. However, I propose some form of bet to keep things interesting. Whoever takes out the most bioweapons here gets bragging rights, along with the option to boss someone of their choosing."

"Yang, you're only setting yourself to a loss here," I heard Blake speak up next. "Never make up a bet you know you'll lose."

"Oh come on, Blakey. Don't be like that before we get into a battle here."

"The more time you waste speaking here," mom started, interrupting them. "The more time you're giving the bioweapons a victory. Get your asses in gear, girls, cause this is no longer a simple mission. It's a full on war."

"Mom, not you too…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She told Yang, stopping at the edge. "I will see you all on the ground."

With that said, she leaned her back a few feet behind until she fell off the Pelican, making us rush out in fear. Unfortunately, she had tricked us into thinking she fell to her death as we saw one of the UNSC's wing units on her back, allowing her to descent onto the ground slowly. Following her example, Chris winked at us before jumping off the Pelican, no doubt using the Chromatus to help his descent. It didn't take long for the rest of us to follow, with me jumping last after Neo.

The drop down from the Pelican to the academy was hectic to say the least. Not only were all of us dodging flying bioweapons, but we also had to avoid any stray bullet, rocket and explosion that came from the ground. We're lucky that none of them actually impacted our bodies at all during our descent, and it made our trip more much easier. It was when we made our impact that we made our presence known, when the bioweapons took a look at our appearance.

Whether prompted by a thirst for combat, I saw my team split up to cover various parts of the school grounds, helping out any surviving soldier we came across. My first glimpse was of Yang charging ahead to the center grounds, punching down any ground machines that came in her way. A different variant of the Pantherons we fought when we got back, depicted with dark violet instead of bright red, jumped her as she dealt with some Hunter-like bots. They clawed right into her skin as she was pulled away, but Yang was able to handle them when she pulled them off her. They were quickly destroyed from her barrage of attacks, while the rest moved to find another target.

Blake, however, was more into the quick strikes than Yang was, avoiding any hits the bioweapons tried to connect on her body. Due to her reflexes, she was fast enough to keep herself safe from the machines while cutting down those that were unlucky. Many Pantherons that had assaulted the school fell to Gambol Shroud's blade, while the ones far away from her were met with high explosive Dust rounds. One bioweapon, a dragon type called the Kalavinka, noticed the carnage that she was laying down on the beast types and flew right down towards her. She didn't see it coming immediately, but she noticed it with her hearing and jumped over her. She then used the ribbon on Gambol shroud to pull on its head, controlling it briefly to take out any machines in the crossfires.

While I know that Blake can handle herself, I quickly looked over in worry for Weiss. My feelings went away as I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her fighting a Proto Behemoth with someone who looked like her, only with the person wearing an Atlesian Spec Ops uniform. I had to guess that this woman is Winter, as she and Weiss both fought with rapiers against a large bioweapon. They pushed the Behemoth back a ways as they exchanged blows with it, with Weiss handling one side and Winter the other. It never stood a chance and lowered itself on its knees, allowing the sisters to pierce its head with their weapons.

"_Ruby, block your left now,_" I heard my Spirit, doing as it said and blocked what sounded like saw blades. I looked back and saw that my opponent was a similar scorpion bioweapon that Chris destroyed weeks ago, only this one is pure white. I got worried for a second before dodging another swipe by its saw arm. Knowing this was going to be difficult, I had Blaze set in scythe mode, holding Crescent Rose in a combat stance and eyeing for any openings. The bioweapon roared in response and flew towards me, swinging its tail to the left and knocked me off a few feet. Not backing down, I got back up and ran towards it, using my semblance to confuse it and slashed its face with Crescent Rose's blade. I didn't do much as I had to back up fast, dodging the laser it fired from its tail.

While I was distracted, I heard footsteps coming from behind me, looking to see a Behemoth coming towards me. I couldn't handle two bioweapons at the same time, but luckily Chris and Neo distracted the towering mechanical beast away from me. Looking back at the Scorpion machine, I adopted a smug look on my face and motioned it to come at me. The monster took it as an insult and rushed towards me, only to jump out of the way and twirl my scythe, cutting off one of its arms. I heard something similar to a pained screech from it as the arm fell off of it, taking away one of its means of attacking me.

"Yeah, you can't fight me now, can you," I taunted it, only to get hit harder by the machine's tail. The bioweapon roared in satisfaction as I few a few more feet back and aimed its stinger towards my direction. I couldn't move out of the way in time as it fired, feeling the blast burning me through the armor. Luckily, my armor's shielding prevented any more damaged done to me, but it wasn't enough when it closed the distance and smashed its tail down on me. I was able to block it from hurting my body, but the bioweapon began to put pressure on me, pushing me down to the ground further and further.

By some stroke of luck, I heard my brother shout out one of his artes before seeing a flaming shockwave impact the tail, damaging but not severing it. It was enough for me to push it back up, getting it away from me before launching a Blazing Fang arte directly at its face, forcing the bioweapon to back up a few feet. With it staggered, I moved forward towards the machine, twirling Crescent Rose rapidly in my hands and damaging the machine further. It was when it looked at me when I had my weapon change into Katana mode and sliced its 'eyes' out.

Little did I know that doing that wasn't enough as something sparked inside the machine, forcing it to fly, ram and hit us down to the ground. It wasn't done yet, for it kept up its flight and flew around the Atlesian academy, drawing the bullets towards it and allowing the other bioweapons to gain more ground on the UNSC barricades. Ticked, I had my weapon change back to Crescent Rose before turning it to a sniper rifle and aiming at it. Pulling the trigger, I fired five high explosive rounds at the bioweapon, only for one of the bullets to make an impact on the machine.

"Dammit, isn't there anything that can ground the Manasvin Warmech," I heard Chris shout out, only to see something I never expected. A white Nevermore suddenly appeared in the skies and pinned the machine down to the ground. Whereas a normal Nevermore would have black feathers and piercing red eyes, this one had glowing ice blue eyes. The monster managed to pin the machine down before tearing into the Warmech's head. I was about to say something when Winter and Weiss ran to us, with the older sister focusing on the Nevermore. I looked back and saw the white monster smash its foot into the machine, destroying it before dissipating.

"Hunter, Ruby," Weiss spoke up, grabbing our attention. "I want you both to meet my sister, Winter Schnee. Winter…" she moved beside us, "these two are Ruby Rose and Chris Hunter."

"I see, so the young girl Ruby is my sister's team leader," Winter commented me, causing me to blush in embarrassment. "I have heard all about you, Ruby, about how you earned your position during the Beacon initiation and being Weiss' first friend. I have to say, I am impressed."

"Well, uh… it was no problem for me at all," I nervously said to her while scratching my head.

"I'll bet it wasn't." She then looked at my brother. "And Chris Hunter… Your accomplishments are not a thing to laugh at. A young man who is the UNSC's Sky Marshal, the highest ranking anyone would kill for. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"So you heard of me," I heard him say to her. "I hope we didn't get here too late. I'd hate to replace Buck and his ODST squad."

"They were very resource in the defense, going so far as to add some vehicles for the firepower. If only I could say the same for the Atlesian Military."

"Winter, I understand how you feel. Losing men during a battle takes a toll on the commanding officer. However, there is something really important that we have to get to. What is the status of the entire kingdom?"

"Well," the older Schnee looked down, conflicted. "I am the only survivor of the Atlesian army, the fleet was decimated by that large machine, and these… 'people' came and started firing at any person they could find. I was lucky to run into Buck and form a safe haven here at the academy, only for the Strange Grimm—"

"Bioweapons, ma'am," I looked and saw an ODST, or what looked like one with advanced armor. "The bioweapons appeared as we were setting up camp and took out Hades Company, sir."

"Sergeant Buck," Chris greeted, giving the man a handshake. "I'm glad you managed to survive this, man. And what gave you the idea to wear Spartan IV armor? I thought I told all Spartans to wear II or III armor configurations."

"Sorry sir, but at the time, we were in a hurry to scramble."

"Anyways," Winter cut in. "After I evacuated most of the people from the city to the Academy, I saw five unknown people walking towards the Schnee Dust Company. Two of them, I know as Adam Taurus and Bane, the two top commanders of the White Fang. However… they looked different from the media years ago."

"They probably underwent Cyborg enhancement," I added my own two cents, getting nods from Chris and the ODST Spartan. "If they looked different now, then that means that Desperado did in fact have connections to the White Fang, but judging from Winter's explanation… the White Fang must have been inducted into Desperado."

"Winter, what about the Schnee Dust Company," my partner asked her. "What happened to father and the board of directors?"

"I'm sorry Weiss, but as I got here, the company…" she clenches her fist. "…the company no longer exists. Those people I mentioned killed the people there, imprisoned the board and… had father's head severed from his body."

"That means they're converting the building to World Marshal as we speak," Chris said, walking up to Buck. "We're hard on time. Buck, do you have any Warthogs that you can spare?"

"Yes sir," the soldier responded before leaving, having us follow him to the other side of the academy. I saw that along with surviving UNSC personnel, many students were tending to the injured and manning the defensive positions. Thousands of bioweapons lay on the ground covered in bullet holes and deep cuts, and a few unlucky ODSTs laid beside them with blood pouring out. My thoughts were pulled out when we saw our mode of transportation.

"I know you guys are tough Spartans, but listen up," I heard Buck shout out. "When you reach the city, you will be hounded by waves of Cyborgs. Keep your eyes on the goal, and you will make it back safe and sound."

"Wait a minute, you're not coming," I heard Yang ask, despite just showing up.

"Buck has to stay behind and watch over the defense here," Chis answered her, walking to one of the Warthogs. "If he and the ODSTs decide to leave the academy, the bioweapons will easily break in and kill anybody they could find. They have to stay and make sure the machines never get the chance."

"Right, and besides," I spoke up, moving beside him with Neo. "Everything falls under us to make things right. We'll go in, kick Desperado butt and leave before the Covenant arrives to initiate the glassing."

"Right, and we're going to do it in style. Everyone, enter the Warthogs. Mom and I will be driving us into the city."

With that said, we all got into the transport vehicles in the assigned order: myself, Chris and Neo will take the front vehicle with the gauss cannon, while Yang, Weiss and Blake go with mom. The sounds of the Warthogs starting up covered us while Buck moved out of the way, signalling us to move to the city. With a clear view of Atlas, or what's left of it, we made our way over to the Schnee Dust Company building, which is the current stronghold of Desperado.

* * *

**Third Person POV**

**Streets of Atlas**

Bodies littered the roads of the once proud advanced kingdom of Atlas, ranging from the kingdom's army, White Fang that defied Cyborg transformation to innocent civilians that tried to escape the chaos. Patrols of Cyborgs forces now occupy the city with weapons unknown to the kingdom, from MA5D Assault Rifles to the individual High Frequency Blades on their backs. One lone girl, a five year old wolf faunas, watched in horror as the Cyborgs kept an eye out for any movement. Seeing them disappear from her sight, she carefully left her hiding spot, taking cover in the now vacant buildings. She was about to make another move when the sight of a fifty foot tall bioweapon, RAY, emerged from a faraway city block, destroying some of the skyscrapers with the wings on its body.

Originally classed as a Metal Gear in the 21st Century, RAY was considered a weapon too dangerous to be held in human hands. Reactivated and upgraded by Desperado, the now classified bioweapon was outfitted with Carbon Nanotube muscle fibers instead of the synthetic muscle actuators. Its weapons are comprised of four mounted Gatling guns on the wings and outer thighs, one wing housing both AGM-65 Maverick and High Explosive Multi-Purpose rockets, and a plasma cannon installed in the head. Finally the other wing houses one of Desperado's major upgrades: A wing mounted heat blade.

The little girl knew that she would be in major trouble if the machine were to find her, but the fears never came when RAY's sensors started to blink, forcing it to stop its approach. To her, the monster could have spotted her, but to the bioweapon, it received a new directive: Hunt down and kill the UNSC Sky Marshal and his allies in Atlas. Looking over the profiles, it chose its first target as Elena 'Neo' Hazard and began marching away, destroying the top of the building the girl was in and trapped her inside. The remaining debris impacted the surrounding Atlesian ground, splattering the corpses and turning them into red pastes of blood.

The girl barely managed to get away from the falling ruins, taking cover underneath the desk inside the building. She felt tears starting to form in her eyes, and started praying for someone to come save her. Hopefully, she would be rescued and escape Atlas before the Cyborgs could find and kill her.

* * *

**A/N: I have… no excuse as to why this was late. Video games, anime, movies… basically anything I like leads to my laziness.**

**Now, because of how my laziness it, I would have to say that updates will be take a lot longer from now on. That doesn't mean that I will be quitting fanfiction. It just basically means that I would need more time to plan out my next chapters. The basic ideas remain, only the thinking process will be longer than I intended. Sorry to those who favorited and follow this story, but I will try to update more often. Thank you for understanding.**

**As for the end with the little girl, she is an OC owned by Caden Goff named Shin, a fellow fanfic writer I message on Facebook.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think? Leave a review, favorite/follow for more.**

**With that out of the way, I'm BlazefireDrago, signing out.**


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